Victory Gala
by R011ingThunder
Summary: Romantic tensions come to a head as the guilds reunite for the Victory Gala. Feelings are made known, lines are crossed and some relationships will never be the same again. [Mazeverse] S1 Finale. Jendawg, Mirafreed, Miraxus, Lyvia, Gruvia, Grayza, Jerza, Gale, Laxana, Hibikilu, Nalu, Nali, and mentions of others. One ship will find their EndGame tonight. Which will it be?
1. It's Not Like That

_This is the story of Lyon, who's head-over-heels for Juvia, who's pining after Gray, who's had a secret crush on Erza (basically since forever), but she's completely oblivious because she's totally in love with Jellal. Of Freed, who feels conflicted over his feelings for Mirajane who's ignoring him because she's not over Laxus who still misses what they used to have (even though he's mostly, completely over it). Of Loke who won't give up even though he knows that he has zero chance with Lucy, even though she's sick and tired of clueless, bone-headed Natsu who doesn't understand why there's a problem._

 _This is the Mazeverse series, a post-Tenrou AU with pairings galore. Gruvia, Lyvia, Grayza, Jerza, Nalu, Nali, Lolu, Graylu, Bixanna, Gale, ElfEver, Miraxus, Laxana, MiraFreed as well as a handful of crackships and rare-pairs as we try to pair the spares. This is the Mazeverse. No ship is safe ;)_

* * *

 **Happy Friday! New story today and it's a big one. This is the Mazeverse Season 1 finale. I'm so excited!... Or not...**

 **I'll be honest, I'm a little bit terrified of your reactions, and I'm not just saying that to get a rise out of you guys. I've hinted, threatened, joked and teased that this plot is going to take a drastic turn. That moment is now here. I've been preempting this story for a while, partly because what I'm about to do makes me nervous, and partly because I'm usually a few stories ahead of what I'm posting. Like this fic, for example, I finished about a year ago.**

 **For those who are new to my writing and have no idea what I'm talking about,** **now might be a good time to take note that I'm a sadistic tease of a writer. XD This is probably not the story for someone who is going to get upset when I start sinking ships... permanently, in some cases. (Hence why I decided to call this the season finale.) But if you're the sort of person who likes some drama, maybe you're a multi-shipper or you appreciate some angst, you might enjoy this. And if anyone wants to join in a chorus of "Another one bites the dust!" at the end of every-other chapter, you're in good company. XD**

 **For those who don't like that idea, you're probably out of luck this time.** ** ** **I welcome the creative feedback, and I'll file it into my backlog to inspire a future story, but o**** dds are I've already poured concrete over whatever it is that you're reacting to.**

 **Anyways, no more rambling. This is _Victory Gala_ , the Season 1 finale of Mazeverse. It picks up right after _Joyride_ (Gray's prequel-fic) or _Matchmaker, Heartbreaker, Total Sucker_ (Lyon's prequel-fic) or ******_Much Ado About Nothing_ (everyone else's prequel-fic). If you haven't read any of those, that's okay. You'll probably be fine without.  
****

 ** **Cheers!****

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

No good deed goes unpunished.

And Lyon was learning that the hard way.

"How could you, Lyon?" accused Sherry. The Marionette Mage shot him a furious glare, her words venomous.

"Sherry, it's not like that."

"Toby is our teammate. And he _trusted_ you," she fumed. "You _knew_ he was in love with her!"

It was true.

Lyon had successfully gotten a date with Jenny Realight. Sorcerer Weekly model, darling of Blue Pegasus, this year's Miss Fiore. Yes, _that_ Jenny Realight.

Initially, Lyon couldn't help but feel pleased. Her acceptance hadn't been a sure thing, but his plan had been well-crafted. And his execution? Flawless. The trick with the rose was pure genius—he'd have to save that one for when he was seriously trying to woo a woman.

With Phase 1 was complete, he had been about ready to move on to Phase 2: set Jenny up with Toby. If things went according to plan, Toby would have Jenny in his arms before the night was out. And after that, the rest was up to Toby.

But in all of this, Lyon had made one fatal mistake: forgetting to let Sherry Blendy in on his plan. Now she was convinced that he was a back-stabbing jerk who was out to rub his popularity in his teammates' faces.

"This is not _love_. I thought you knew better," she said, her voice dropping to a hiss.

"Sherry, I wasn't trying t—"

She turned away from him, lips pressed thin. "I don't want to hear it."

"Would you just listen to me?" snapped Lyon.

"I'm not interested in what you have to say."

Lyon huffed a sigh, tugging at his tie and glancing skyward. He hoped the Christina Advance would hurry up and arrive already. Sherry was exhausting to deal with when she was like this.

Yuka poked his head out of the guild, scowling. Toby was right behind him.

"Are you heading out?" Toby asked, wringing his hands.

"In a little bit. Actually, do you have a minute?"

Lyon took Toby to the side, where the others wouldn't be able to hear. Sherry fixed Lyon with a cold stare and Yuka looked displeased.

"Here." Lyon palmed a folded piece of paper to Toby, trying to be discrete.

"What's this?" Toby peered at his paw curiously. "Should I…"

"Just some notes for you." Lyon shook his head. "Stop that," he said, as Toby fidgeted. "Don't open it until after we've left. And whatever you do, don't let anyone see it. The last thing we need is for Jenny to think that you're not serious."

Toby put the note away, wringing his hands nervously. "Are you sure this is going to work?" he asked quietly.

"Of course, it will," said Lyon. It _had_ to. "Just keep an eye on us during the Gala and wait for my signal."

"And what signal is that, again?"

"I'm not sure yet. I still have to figure that out."

"Then how will _I_ know what to look for?" asked Toby.

"You'll know," assured Lyon.

Eventually, Lyon heard the rush of an engine, heralding the arrival of the Christina. Its shadow loomed over the front lawn of the Lamia Scale guild hall. He looked up to see what looked like a cross between a giant blue horse, a sailing vessel and a blimp.

"You may not want to watch this next bit," he warned Toby. Even though his date with Jenny was just a ruse, Lyon still had to play the part.

"I can handle it," said Toby. "It'll be worth it to see Jenny."

Lyon nodded grimly. "If you're sure…"

A shimmering sphere descended from the Christina. Inside of it were Ren, Jenny, and, surprisingly, Eve Tilm. All three were dressed to the nines.

Ren nodded coolly. "Hey."

"Good to see you guys!" shouted Eve.

"Hey, there, Lyon!" called Jenny. The way she grinned at him made Lyon feel just a little bit guilty.

Lyon raised a hand in greeting, trying not to look at Toby. That would have made him feel even more guilty.

He reminded himself to focus. He had a job to do. If he screwed this up now, then all of this would be a waste, and he'd end up with a real mess on his hands.

"Ren!" exclaimed Sherry. She dashed up to him as soon as the Pegasus Mages landed.

"Sherry," mumbled Ren. "It's good to see you. Not that I missed you or anything," he added, turning away.

"Oh, stop it, you!" giggled Sherry. She tugged at his lapels and brushed away imaginary dust from his jacket.

Lyon approached Jenny. "Hello, Jenny," he said. "You look lovely."

"Aw, thanks!" she said sweetly. "That's so nice of you to say." Clearly, she was used to getting compliments. Lyon had suspected that would be the case.

"It's true," he offered, taking her hand. He bowed low over it, making a show of kissing the back of her hand.

Jenny fought a smile, her cheeks flushed pink.

"Are you guys done yet?" Eve interrupted. He looked awkward by himself. Not only was he the fifth wheel, there were no other girls for him to fawn over.

Lyon was secretly glad he had the presence of mind to ask Chelia to stay home. He didn't know what he'd do if she ended up with a Pegasus guy too… If that happened, he'd have to resign himself to spending the rest of his life patching up the Blendy girls' broken hearts. He shuddered at the thought.

"Did you guys want to catch a ride with us?" offered Jenny. "There's plenty of space."

Toby looked at Lyon expectantly.

Lyon started to nod, but Sherry cut him off.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea," she said stiffly.

Lyon almost groaned. That would have been a perfect opportunity for Toby and Jenny to get to know one another!

But Lyon schooled his features to hide his frustration. "We'll see you guys there," said Lyon. "Come find us after you arrive," he said slowly. Lyon shot Toby a look, hoping the other mage understood his message.

"We'll just… meet you at… the dance?" said Toby, bobbing his head.

Lyon raised a questioning eyebrow at Yuka's dark, scrutinizing expression.

"I hope you know what you're doing," muttered Yuka in a low voice.

Lyon didn't reply.

"Let's go, already!" urged Eve. "Come on, or we're going to be late!"

Jenny took Lyon by the elbow, dragging him towards Ren so he could use his Air Magic to get them back up into the bomber.

Lyon noticed Sherry scowling at him.

Lyon sighed. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala,_** **Lyon leaves Toby to his own devices. Hilarity ensues:** _"Yeah… sashimi. You know. Sashimi," said Toby nodding._

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	2. Sashimi

**Happy Friday! Is everyone all ready for the holidays? Hope you all have awesome plans!  
**

 **This week we're still on the Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus train. I know this is a detour that many readers don't really care for, but don't worry, we'll start to see some of our Fairy Tailers starting next chapter. This is mostly set-up for future and tying up some loose ends. Bear with me as I work our crack-ships for a little bit before I get to the good stuff.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Even by itself, the rhythmic rumbling of the Christina's engines would have been enough to lull her to sleep. Jenny could have dozed off right there with how bored she was.

Jenny wondered if she'd made a mistake with this one.

When Lyon had invited her to the dance, he had been so gallant and delightfully old-fashioned. He had made her pulse race when he whipped that frozen rose out of nowhere. Then he'd asked her to the dance with a confidence that caught her off guard.

But now he seemed like a different person, all quiet and withdrawn. Maybe he was just having an off day? That would explain the death-glare that Ren's girlfriend was giving Lyon every ten minutes. Were they fighting or something? Jenny hoped that was all it was, otherwise the rest of the evening would be a lost cause.

She couldn't help but be glad when the Cristina landed outside of the venue. The stone architecture looked majestic in the setting sun, with its proud columns and elaborate gothic accents.

"Shall we?" asked Lyon, offering her a hand to lead her up the steps. He ushered her forward, opening the ornate doors for her.

"Wow…" said Jenny, her eyes catching on the massive chandeliers on the high vaulted ceilings.

"I have to say, Fairy Tail's outdone themselves this time," said Lyon.

"I know, right?" said Jenny. When Blue Pegasus hosted the Gala two years ago, they had held it in the Blue Pegasus Recruiting Hall, which was nice, but not this nice.

They followed Ren and Sherry to an open table. Sherry shot Lyon another nasty glare. He seemed relieved when his other guildmates had arrived as well, and he waved them over.

"I don't think I've introduced you to my friends yet," said Lyon, with a dramatic wave. "You know Sherry, of course. That's Yuka." Lyon pointed them out.

Lyon put an arm around Jenny's shoulders, guiding her. When they got in front of Toby, he let go of her, putting a hand on Toby's shoulder instead. "And _this_ is Toby. Toby, this is my date Jenny."

"H-Hi…" said Toby. He ducked his head shyly, a flush rising to his cheeks.

Jenny giggled. "Hello. It's nice to meet you."

Toby cleared his throat, wringing his hands. "Y-yeah… I mean… I mean we're not actually meeting, exactly. I've kind of seen you around. In magazines and stuff."

"Yeah…" Jenny shrugged. "I get that a lot."

"I read your interviews," he offered. "You… you seem like a really nice person."

 _That_ made Jenny pause, her eyes widening. "You think so?" she asked. Most people wanted to gush over her looks or her style. Some of them admired her for her magic or her being Miss Fiore. But never for her personality. It was refreshing.

Toby shrugged awkwardly. "You probably get that a lot too…"

"Not as often as you'd think," said Jenny with a wry smile. "So, you're a friend of Lyon's, huh?" she asked, looking at him curiously.

Toby started to nod, but Lyon cut him off.

"Teammate, actually," said Lyon. "We happen to be Lamia's Scale's elite team," he bragged, puffing out his chest. "And Toby, well, he's our muscle. The powerhouse. He looks out for us and keeps us out of trouble. Isn't that right, Toby?"

"Hm? Right. Yes!" Toby bobbed his head up and down eagerly. "I do that!"

Lyon looked like he wanted to face-palm.

Jenny giggled. He was awkward, but Jenny couldn't quell the little flip her stomach did. Toby's earnestness was kind of endearing. He was so different from Hibs and the other Trimens. He seemed a lot more interesting than Lyon did.

Jenny had never met anyone quite like him.

"Lyon, time to go," said Sherry.

"Right. The ceremony's about to start," Lyon told her. "We're supposed to line up on stage."

"I'll be cheering for ya," said Jenny.

"Thanks," said Lyon. "You two going to be okay?"

"Don't worry. I'm sure we've got plenty to talk about," Jenny said.

"Yeah! We're… uh… we're fine," said Toby.

"Maybe you could tell Jenny something about yourself," suggested Lyon encouragingly. "I'll be back soon."

With Lyon gone, Jenny turned her attention back to Toby. She had so many questions, but she could tell that if she wanted to know more, she'd have to lead the conversation.

"So…" started Jenny.

"So?" repeated Toby, looking at her anxiously. His grin was stiff and forced.

"I guess, tell me about yourself," suggested Jenny.

"I'm, um… I'm from Lamia Scale?" said Toby.

Jenny blinked in surprise. Then she grinned. "I'm from Blue Pegasus," she offered cheerfully. "See?" She let her shawl slip so she could show off the guildmark on her shoulder.

She was a guild recruiter and a regular in Sorcerer Weekly. She was used to awkward questions and tongue-tied fanboys. Toby was mild in comparison. Besides, any friend of Lyon's couldn't have been that bad.

"My guildmark's on my left arm too," said Toby. "My tattoo's on the other side."

"You have a tattoo?" asked Jenny. "What's it of?"

"Yeah! Um…it says sashimi!" exclaimed Toby.

"Sashimi?" Jenny frowned.

"Yeah… sashimi. You know. Sashimi," said Toby nodding.

"You mean like sushi-sashimi? Is there a story behind that?" asked Jenny, grinning.

"No… um. Was… was there supposed to be?" Toby trailed off, looking self-conscious again.

"No, no. There doesn't have to be," said Jenny quickly, patting him on the arm to reassure him. "I was just curious. So what kind of magic do you use?" she asked Toby.

"Poison," said Toby. "On my claws."

"Oh, that makes sense," said Jenny. "With the ears I should have figured."

"Well, actually…" Toby rubbed the back of his head. "The ears are actually… they're just for fun, you know?" he stammered. "I mean, it seemed like a good idea at the time… so, yeah…"

"No, no. That's totally cool," said Jenny. "I… I kind of like them," she admitted.

Toby froze, looking at her with wide eyes. "You mean that?"

Jenny nodded. "I'd like to hear more," she said. Jenny wasn't sure why she cared, but there was just something _interesting_ about Toby. There was something very genuine and honest about him that she hadn't seen in any of the other guys.

Toby relaxed visibly, his hands settling in his lap. "I'm actually from the Northern Continent originally. Brago."

"It's pretty cold up there, isn't it?" asked Jenny.

"It's not bad if you grew up there," said Toby.

"I've never been. What's it like?"

"It's really pretty," said Toby. "Well, not my hometown. It's kind of been demolished since Deliora razed it to the ground," offered Toby. The he cringed. "Sorry… I shouldn't have said that. That was probably weird."

Jenny grinned. "Don't say it like a bad thing. We're all pretty weird," she shrugged. "Is the rest of the Northern Continent pretty?"

"You'd like it," said Toby.

"Maybe some day I'll take a trip up that way," said Jenny.

"I'd totally show you around," offered Toby. "If you don't think that's weird, that is…" he added, grin falling off his face.

Jenny laughed. "I might just have to take you up on that."

* * *

 **Well... that was weird. Can you say awkward? Good news is that Lyon's now free to play the role of unwitting matchmaker for other couples, per the running gag.  
**

 **I've talked about my philosophy of giving a lot of screen-time to ships, ideas, or character behaviors that are strongly canon compliant. The flip side is that bizarre crack ships like this one necessitate a little more time because not only do I have to define what they are for this universe, I have to start by justifying your suspension of disbelief. But that's done now.**

 **Let's move on to another ship.**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala,_** **a loaded conversation:** _"Please, Laxus," Freed called after him. He took a shuddering breath, resigning himself to the possibility of heartbreak. "I consider you to be my commander first and foremost. If you still regard Mirajane fondly, then I won't bring up the way I feel to her."_

 **Yes, Mira is now officially part of a love triangle. (We hinted at it in _Serenade_ , waaay back at the beginning of the series.) Now the truth comes out.**

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	3. Don't Mess This One Up

**Happy Friday! If I didn't mention it before, part of the reason for the slow ramp-up is that there are a total of 14 chapters in _Victory Gala._ We're starting to move beyond setup and we're going to get to see our chain of events unfold. I'm really excited about this week's chapter in particular as the two relationships here are ones that I haven't gotten to play with before. Hope you like it!  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Freed ran his thumb along the edge of his jacket, waiting for Master Bob to finish his remarks.

The ceremony had been quite the grand to-do with all the guild masters making speeches and the entire Allied Coalition lined up behind them.

It was nice that, even after all these years, Fairy Tail, Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus still got together to celebrate the friendship the guilds had forged that day.

But it was an awfully _long_ ceremony. As much as Freed appreciated traditions, he was glad when the last speech had ended. There were things he needed to attend to tonight, and all of this waiting was making him restless.

"You're looking awfully serious."

Freed jolted, his hand flying to his chest. Laxus had startled him as badly as a zap of lightning would have.

"And jumpy too," observed Laxus. "What's the matter with you?"

"It's nothing. I just have a lot on my mind," said Freed, adjusting his cuffs again.

"All right. Well, I'm going to go check on Bicks and Ever. Try not to have too much fun," said Laxus.

"Actually, Laxus, if I might have a moment?" asked Freed.

"Yeah. What's up?"

Freed cleared his throat. "It's about Mirajane."

"Okay…" Laxus arched a bushy brow, folding his arms over his chest.

Freed's mouth was dry. The nerves were really starting to get to him. He waited for Laxus' permission to continue.

And finally, his commander sighed, and asked, "What about Mira?"

"I was hoping to speak with her tonight," said Freed quietly, his eyes dropping to the floor.

"You can talk to her whenever you want."

"That isn't quite what I had in mind," Freed sighed, his shoulders slumping.

Laxus snorted. "Enough with the guessing games, Freed. What are you getting at?"

Freed hesitated, searching for the right words. "I… have feelings for Mirajane," he mumbled, the heat surging to his face.

"Oh. Okay… And you're telling me this, why?"

Freed's head snapped up, taking Laxus in with wide eyes. "What do you mean by that?"

His commander gave an easy shrug. "Mira's the one you need to talk to, not me."

"Laxus, _don't_." Freed grimaced guiltily. He didn't understand why Laxus insisted on making this so difficult. "I know that the two of you were very close once. I've seen that photograph that you're still hanging on to."

Laxus turned away, a huff of breath leaving his lungs. "What does it matter? Are you saying _you_ don't have old pictures laying around?" he asked defensively.

"Are you saying that you don't still have feelings for her?" challenged Freed softly. Anxiety was a vice around his ribs as he waited for Laxus' response. He didn't know that he wanted to hear the answer, but he needed to hear it. He needed to know.

Laxus was silent, mouth pressed into a thin line. When, finally, he spoke, he met Freed's eye steadily. "Sometimes the past needs to stay in the past."

"Then, with your permission, sir?" asked Freed tentatively.

"You don't need my permission," said Laxus with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Do whatever you want. I don't care," he said, sweeping past as if to walk away.

"Please, Laxus," Freed called after him. He took a shuddering breath, resigning himself to the possibility of heartbreak. "I consider you to be my commander first and foremost. If you still regard Mirajane fondly, then I won't bring up the way I feel to her."

There. He'd said it.

The Lightning-Dragon Slayer stopped. He turned stiffly, his eyes narrowing critically. "What's that supposed to mean?" demanded Laxus.

"Just as I said. If you still care for her, I'll hold my peace," said Freed. He'd made up his mind. He loved Mira, but he wouldn't have her at the expense of his friend's happiness. He respected Laxus too much for that.

Laxus' jaw went slack as he blinked. Then he sighed, shaking his head. "You have my blessing. Is that what you wanted to hear?" he asked impatiently.

Freed's eyes widened as overwhelming joy hit him. "Thank you, Laxus. Thank you!" he breathed.

Laxus gave a curt nod, his features emotionless.

Laxus' reassurance had lifted a weight from Freed's fluttering chest. He let out a sigh of relief, a slow smile spreading across his features.

"Freed."

"Sir?" Freed looked back, bringing himself to stand at attention.

"If you truly love her, then love her with all you're worth." A spark of something fierce, yet unrecognizable, flashed in Laxus' eyes.

"Yes, sir."

"I'm serious, Freed. There's no half-ways here. Not with Mirajane. _Don't_ screw this one up."

"No, sir."

With a final nod, Freed set off to find Mirajane. He scanned the room, trying to catch a glimpse of the Take-Over Mage.

Freed's gaze caught on a pair of eyes the color of the sky. His heart pounded.

There she was. Mirajane Strauss.

Mira looked stunning in a shimmery, pale-coral dress that brought out the natural flush of her cheeks. Her wavy hair was pulled back into a high ponytail that draped fetchingly over one shoulder. Around her neck, she wore a thick, black ribbon, tied into a neat bow. Freed was certain that if perfection had a name, it would be Mirajane.

But Mira was more than just a pretty face. She was easily the kindest, most understanding person that Freed had ever had the pleasure of meeting. She may have had the magic of a demon, but she had the heart of an angel.

Freed willed his pulse to still. He took a breath, collecting himself, his gaze still holding hers as he approached.

"Hello, Mira," he said, his voice low. Being around her always filled him with a sense of peace. Mira's gentleness was one of his favorite things about her.

"Oh, hey, Freed," she said. Her sweet smile made his breath hitch.

"You look lovely tonight," he said.

"Thanks! Same to you," said Mira brightly. Then she sighed, her gaze trailing across the room. "Aren't they adorable?" asked Mira absently.

"To whom are you referring?" asked Freed.

"Gray and Erza…" she sighed. Mira pointed, a starry expression crossing her flushed face.

As the former members of the Multi Guild Alliance filed off the stage, Gray had caught Erza by the elbow. He whispered something in her ear that made the fearsome Requip Mage blush like a schoolgirl.

"I know we're not really rivals anymore, but it makes me a little jealous of her sometimes. You know?"

"Jealous?" repeated Freed, frowning. What on Earth did Mirajane have to be jealous of? Unless… A cold feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. "Mira… you don't… have feelings for _Gray_ , do you?" he asked slowly, trying not to look too obvious.

" _What_? Oh, gosh, no! Whatever gave you that idea?" Mira giggled. "I mean, he's not _bad_. And Erza could certainly do much worse. He's not my type though," she said, crinkling her nose.

Freed let out the breath he was holding.

"They're so cute together," sighed Mira. She twirled her hair around her finger. "How can she _not_ see it?"

"Love is like that," observed Freed. "It isn't always easy to see, especially for the parties involved."

"But look at the way he looks at her," insisted Mira. "You can see it in his eyes. She's his _everything_."

"Then maybe he should come out and say it," suggested Freed.

"What if she says no?" protested Mira. "She might not be ready."

"Then at least he'll know."

"Do you really think it works like that? I mean, as a guy."

Freed didn't hesitate. "I do." It wasn't easy to make the first move, but it was the honorable thing for a man to do.

"Do you really think any guy wants to put himself out there like that?"

"If he's worth anything, he ought to," Freed declared.

"I wish I had someone like that…" sighed Mira. "Someone who looks at me the way Gray looks at Erza… She's so lucky."

Freed shook his head. He licked his lips, trying to piece a sentence together.

"What if… What if you already have a Gray, but you're too Erza to see it?"

"What?" Mira turned to blink at him, her blue eyes startled.

"Never mind."

Maybe he wasn't quite ready to put himself out there yet either.

* * *

 **Talk about irony...**

 **So MiraFreed. I don't know that I ship them. But it always bothered me that they had a really cool moment of connection in Battle of Fairy Tail, and then _nothing_. This is my (shippy brain's) attempt at explaining that, among other things. Nothing against Miraxus, I like them too (I might actually like them better than MiraFreed, TBH), but this is my one chance to see how the MiraFreed thing would have played out and (bonus!) get some really good Miraxus angst out of the deal. I have this theory that we're going to play out to see which ship holds up in this universe.  
**

 **As for Laxus and Freed's relationship, there are a lot of ways one could call it. Some people ship them, others see them as brothers. I always saw a bit of leader-subordinate there, which I haven't seen a lot of writers use in fanfic, so I wanted to play with that dynamic here.**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala,_** **another poor, lovesick fool. He gives away one girl, then another:** _"I suppose part of learning to love is… learning to lose," he sighed. "And learning to let go."_

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	4. The Only Butterfly Is This One Here

**Happy Friday! Last week we saw Freed hit a brick wall with Mirajane. Hold that thought-they will be back, but this week we flip back to another pair of characters. I hope that doesn't feel too disjointed. I was inspired by the way TV shows will flip between scenes if you've got two things happening at the same time. I don't think I've seen this done as often in books; you lose the effect of the comparison when a scene is longer, but it starts to create confusion if the scene is too short. Given that my chapters are fun-sized, I figured I could get away with it.  
**

 **This takes place about the same time as the last chapter, starting right after the formal ceremony ended and the Allied Forces teams are getting off the stage and everyone's off to socialize and mingle.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lyon stepped off the stage, glancing back at the table where his friends were sitting sat.

Toby was stumbling his way through a story, arms flapping in excitement. Could anyone be more awkward? But Jenny didn't seem to mind. Her eyes crinkled in mirth as she tittered. Lyon was surprised that she had taken to him so quickly.

Toby had never been the brightest bulb in the pack, but he was hard-working, loyal and surprisingly idealistic. He was a good guy—no, a good friend. And he deserved to be happy. At least for one night.

Was that mission accomplished? The realist in him doubted it, but part of Lyon certainly hoped so.

It was time for him to make his exit.

Lyon rejoined his friends at their table. Sherry and Ren had already returned, and everyone was listening to Toby's account of the job they had completed in Clover Town last month.

Lyon paused, not taking a seat.

"Lyon, why didn't you tell me your friends were so much fun?" asked Jenny. "Toby's _hilarious_. Though, I have to say, I never pictured you as the petting-zoo type."

"We're an unexpected bunch, for sure." Lyon nodded vaguely, letting his mouth curve into a half-smile. He wondered how on Earth Toby had turned his meticulously scripted talking points into a story about a petting-zoo.

"Tell us another one, Toby," said Jenny.

"All right. Um, what about the time that Lyon took us to visit—"

"Oh, you don't want to hear about that," said Sherry impatiently. "Toby, why don't you tell her about the extortionists you arrested on the train to Crocus or that job you took with Chelia last week?" she suggested. "That would be _love_!'

It was a good suggestion on Sherry's part. He needed to get Toby talking about himself, and those were all situations that Toby had a bigger role in resolving.

"Okay?" said Toby, looking at Lyon for approval.

"Hm?" Lyon pretended to start. "Ah, yeah. Those are good stories," he agreed quietly. "Would you—would you all excuse me for a minute?"

"Lyon, is something wrong?" asked Sherry, concern flickering in her eyes. Then she scowled, remembering that she was supposed to be mad at him.

Jenny looked at him curiously, too.

He sighed, shaking his head. "Don't worry, it's nothing serious. I have to step out for a few minutes to make a call," he said, trying his best to sound apologetic. "Actually, it might be more than a couple minutes… My—erm, _sister_ —called and needs me to take care of a couple of things. Normally, I'd ask her to wait until tomorrow, but she's going to get hysterical if I don't call her back."

Sherry's eyes narrowed, but she didn't say anything.

"Lyon, I didn't know you had a—" Toby started to interrupt, but he fell silent at Lyon's sharp glance.

"Listen, I'm really sorry to cut and run like this," he said to Jenny. That much, at least, was true. It went against everything Lyon believed in to ditch his date this way, even if it was for a good cause. "I'm not sure how long this is going to take or if I'll be back."

"No, it's fine," said Jenny. "Not a big deal. Go do what you need to do… _big brother_ ," she teased.

"Thanks for understanding," he said.

"No worries, I'll just hang out with Sherry and Toby. If you guys are cool with it?"

A wide grin spread across Toby's face. Anyone else would have thought he'd just won the lottery. Although, from his perspective, that probably wasn't too far from the truth.

"That would totally be _love_!" chirped Sherry. "Afterwards, we can swap dirt on the boys," she said, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "The things I could tell you…"

"Cool! I'm always up for a little girl talk," said Jenny.

Lyon had no doubt that look meant they'd be telling embarrassing stories about him all night. He tried to convince himself that it wasn't a big deal. As long as Toby got a chance to spend time with the girl of his dreams, what was a little injured pride?

"Jenny, it's been a pleasure. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening," said Lyon. He took her hand, bowing low over it as he had before. But this time, he when he let go, he slipped her fingers into Toby's. "Toby, will you make sure she gets home all right?"

"Um, yeah. Sure! I can do that," said Toby. "If you'll let me, that is?" he added, eyes flitting to Jenny's before dropping to the floor.

There was something earnest about Toby's shyness. And while vulnerable wasn't Lyon's style, it seemed to suit Toby well enough.

Jenny's expression pulled into a soft smile. "Yeah… okay. That sounds… nice."

"I'm counting on you," said Lyon. "You've got this," he added softly, clapping Toby on the back for luck.

Lyon made his way outside, choosing a bench in a well-shadowed alcove to sit on. He wouldn't be seen if he stayed out here. He probably could have just gone home, but he wanted to be on hand if Toby needed help. At least, that was what he told himself.

What he was really hoping for was an opportunity to see a certain Fairy Tail Water Mage with a smile that could warm even the coldest of days. If he could just get a glimpse of her smile, even for a moment, that would be enough for him.

She'd be wearing a dark-blue evening gown that hugged her every curve but left her shoulders bare. Her hair dark curls would be pulled back, leaving only a few stray corkscrews to frame her face while the rest tumbled down her back. And the way she would smile—her cheeks flushed and her eyes lit-up—would be an absolute dream.

But that was all. Only a dream.

"I suppose part of learning to love is… learning to lose," he sighed. "And learning to let go."

"Learning to let go? What does that mean?"

" _Juvia_?!" Lyon had to do a double take. He _wasn't_ dreaming. She really was there, standing in the middle of the lawn, the bottom of her skirt gathered in her left hand to keep from getting it caught.

Her eyes sparkled when she smiled. "Lyon! What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he asked, fighting the urge to smile back. "Why aren't you enjoying the party with the others?"

Juvia shrugged, tugging at one of the loose curls that spilled over her shoulder.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Juvia's nervous…" she admitted, her eyes darting about awkwardly.

"What do you have to be nervous about?"

Juvia looked up, her eyes shot with determination. "Juvia's going to ask Gray to dance with her."

"Oh."

Her words were a fist rammed into his gut. But they weren't a surprise.

"Do you think Juvia shouldn't?" she asked suddenly, frowning in concern.

He _definitely_ thought Juvia shouldn't. But he'd never tell her that, not when she trusted him as a friend. So he swallowed hard, once again pushing aside the persistent ache that had taken residence in his chest whenever he thought of her.

"There's _nothing_ to be nervous about," he said firmly. "You'll be fine. I know you can do it."

Juvia nodded, biting her lip.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"Maybe…?" she mumbled, her forehead scrunching with uncertainty.

Lyon sighed. "Juvia?" he said softly.

Juvia's eyes were trained on the ground, her hands bunching up the layers of her skirt.

Lyon fisted his hands at his sides to keep himself from putting them on Juvia's shoulders or reaching to raise her chin. He knew she wouldn't appreciate that.

"Juvia… Look at me."

And Juvia did look up, tentative and shy. How Gray could fail to see this girl's sweet charms was beyond him. Why she'd fall for an insensitive idiot like Gray was an even greater mystery.

" _You_ are a beautiful, amazing woman," said Lyon slowly, finally speaking the words that he'd longed to say. "There's no way that _anyone_ could miss something like that. You hear me?"

"Not even Gray?" she asked.

"Not even Gray," he repeated, the words tasting like ash. "You just need to take it slow and give the idiot a chance to process that. You know how _useless_ he is when it comes to these things," joked Lyon.

Juvia nodded, taking a shaky breath. "Juvia can— _I_ can do that. I think." She gave a breathy laugh, her delicate fingers hovering above stomach. "I've got these butterflies…" she confessed, smiling apologetically.

Butterflies?

"Not anymore," said Lyon. He cupped his hands together, fingers twisting as he molded. Slowly, he opened his hands, revealing his creation.

Juvia gasped in delight, her eyes round. For there, fluttering in Lyon's palm, was an amazingly life-like butterfly, delicately crafted out of ice. It has been spur-of-the-moment, so it wasn't his finest work. Still, he had molded with his whole heart, filling the little butterfly with all the words he'd never say.

 _Juvia, you're amazing. I love you. I'd do anything to make you smile._

But, of course, he didn't say any of those things. He couldn't.

Instead he said, "The only butterfly is this one here." Gingerly, he reached over, setting the creature atop Juvia's curls. "There. Now you're ready."

"Is it real?"

"You mean alive?" he asked, dryly. "Don't be silly. It's just ice."

"But, I mean, will it…"

"It should last the whole night," he promised. "Provided you stay away from that Fire Dragon-Slayer, that is. No guarantees, if that happens."

Juvia giggled. "Thank you, Lyon."

"Are you feeling better about this?" he asked.

She nodded, smiling. "I always feel better when you're around."

He smiled back, forcing himself not to choke on his words. "Good. Now _go_."

"I won't let you down!" she said, a determined fist clutched to her chest. She started to head back inside, her strides long and confident.

"Juvia, wait!" called Lyon, unable to stop himself.

"Yes…?" Juvia looked back at him curiously, her eyes sparkling in the darkness.

"…I just wanted to say…" What _had_ he wanted to say? "Good luck," he finished lamely.

The corners of her mouth turned upwards in a grateful smile. "Thank you," she said. "Thank you for always being there." Then she beamed. "I knew you were my favorite," she said.

Lyon's chest swelled with hope. Surely she couldn't mean what he thought she did.

"You're my resident Gray expert!" she joked.

Lyon forced himself to grin back, even as his breath hitched in his aching chest. Was that all he was to her? He sighed, watching as Juvia flashed him one more smile before turning and disappearing into the dance hall.

His work here was done.

Feeling drained, Lyon sank back down on to the bench. It had gotten so hard to breathe… Lyon tugged at his collar, loosening his tie.

It used to be enough for him just to watch her from afar. That was _supposed_ to be enough for him. But lately, he'd hang up the phone or watch her walk away, feeling like all the air had left the room with her.

He always made her feel better, huh?

That was all well and good, but how much longer could he keep this up when he always wound up feeling worse?

* * *

 **And that's why they call him Mr. Relationship... or not so much. More like that's why Chelia calls him a total sucker. Though to be fair, the 'resident Gray expert' comment from Juvia was a little uncalled for.  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala_ Juvia makes her move** **:** _"Dance with me," she said, her voice quivering._

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	5. All I'm Asking For Is One Dance

**Happy Friday!**

 **Does anyone remember the last chapter in _Anniversary, Special Just Because_? That's the one where I ended with an extended scene and I said that it wasn't canon to Mazeverse. I was very specific about _not_ wanting Gray and Juvia to connect there. I did _not_ want him to acknowledge her there, mostly because I was setting up this scene here. (I set things up super-way in advance.) This conversation would be unwarranted (on her part) if he had met her half-way back then.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

She could do this.

She was strong and confident and she could do this.

Taking a deep breath, Juvia marched back into the dance hall. Her knees felt wobbly and her stomach flip-flopped.

No, that wasn't right. There were no butterflies in her stomach. Wasn't that what Lyon had said? He had called her amazing and beautiful.

Juvia reached up to touch the butterfly ornament that Lyon had placed in her hair. Lyon always had such faith in her. He didn't think there was any need for butterflies.

Juvia could remember the last time there hadn't been butterflies. Back when she and Gajeel were still part of Phantom Lord. Back before she had met Gray.

She wasn't happy back then. Actually, she was miserable. But she was confident and she was herself. Sometimes, she missed that.

Still, weren't things better now? She was happy being part of Fairy Tail and happy she had found such good friends. And it was all thanks to her darling Gray. He had made the rain go away and brought the sunshine into her life.

But, no. That wasn't right either. Hadn't Gray insisted that Juvia had done that herself? He had said it was through her own strength.

Her _own_ strength.

She was strong and confident and she could do this.

Juvia spotted her darling Gray across the room. There was no missing that dark hair and perfect shoulders. Even from behind, he was unmistakable.

Gray spun to face her. He looked dapper in a tux, the navy-colored tie bringing out the blue in his stormy eyes.

"Gray. Hi…" she said.

Confidence, confidence, confidence, she chanted. Strength and confidence.

"Oh, hey, Juvia," Gray said, looking distracted.

Juvia's eyes lit upon the Fairy Tail emblem emblazoned on the buckle at Gray's waist. The very same belt buckle that she had painstakingly chosen for him months ago.

"You're wearing it!" she exclaimed.

"Hm?"

Juvia pointed at his waist.

Gray's eyes drifted down. Then his face lit in a lopsided grin. "Oh, yeah."

"So you like it?" she gushed. "I'm so glad! I was worried you wouldn't like it."

"What? No, of course not!" he said. "I wear it all the time. Figured this was a good choice since I won't get to show off my real guild mark," he said, his voice dropping conspiratorially.

Juvia laughed, imagining Gray flashing the others a glimpse of the guild mark on his chest. Love Ri— _Lucy_ and some of the other girls would swoon at his perfection and the other guys would fall into a fit of jealousy. A fight would break out between her darling and Natsu and probably Elfman, and maybe even Laxus. Gajee would definitely join in and so would Lyon. Gajee hadn't come and Lyon was outside, but they'd joined the fray in Juvia's imagination anyway. Gray would win, of course. Her darling was easily the strongest mage in Fairy Tail.

But enough daydreaming. Gray was here and she needed to keep her mind in the present.

"That would cause quite the stir," agreed Juvia casually. "I'm glad, though."

"I guess I never thanked you for it, did I?" said Gray awkwardly, a hand rising to rub at the back of his neck. "Sorry… I'm not always good at this kind of thing."

"It's all right," said Juvia.

"Not really… I mean… I guess can be kind of a jerk sometimes," he mumbled, his eyes drifting toward the ground.

"You can be," she agreed, surprised by her own boldness.

"Ouch…" mumbled Gray. "I guess I deserved that," he added ruefully.

"I know how you can make it up to me," said Juvia.

His eyes were cautious. "I'm listening," he said.

"Dance with me," she said, her voice quivering.

"What?" Gray jammed his hands into his pockets, hesitation flickering in his eyes.

Juvia took a deep breath, letting it out softly. "All I'm asking for is one dance," she said.

Just one dance, that's all she needed.

Gray opened his mouth. Then he shut it again. He threw a long, searching glance across the room, frowning slightly. But when he met her eye again, his expression was resolute.

"Okay," he said.

"Really?" asked Juvia, her eyes widening.

"Just one," he agreed softly, offering his hand.

Juvia's heart soared as she reached for him, their fingers intertwining. It made her feel weightless. She wondered if this was what flying felt like.

Gray's arm slipped around her waist, pulling her close. The feeling was every bit as perfect as she had imagined.

This was all she had wanted. Just this one moment. Except… something was missing.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"Nothing."

"Gray." Juvia sighed, gathering her courage. She forced herself to meet his eye. "I know you don't like me as much as I like you. I'm okay with that."

"Juvia, I don't… I don't _dis_ like you," he faltered. "If anything, I think I sort of admire you."

"Do you mean that?" she asked softly.

Gray didn't hesitate. "I do. After all that you've gone through, you're always so positive and forgiving. I think… I think you're an amazing person, Juvia. I respect that."

Juvia couldn't help smiling, the fluttering in her stomach replaced by a warmth that spread through her chest.

He'd seen her. Acknowledged her. And here she was, in his arms. _This_. This was all she'd wanted. Juvia felt… fulfilled.

Gray's eye caught upon the icy butterfly that fluttered in Juvia's hair. He frowned.

"It's from Lyon. Do you like it?" asked Juvia.

"Lyon, huh?" Gray huffed. "I swear. It's like he's tryin'a make me jealous or something."

Juvia was tempted to ask if it was working, but she didn't.

Instead she said, "Lyon does like to show off, doesn't he? But don't worry, I think your magic is lovely as well. I don't know if I would wear it, but it's still beautiful," she offered.

Gray chuckled. "Not quite what I meant."

"What _did_ you mean?" asked Juvia, tilting her head.

"It wasn't anything important," he shrugged.

"Now, I'm curious."

Gray just shook his head, his eyes glinting with amusement. He was always a mysterious one, her darling Gray.

The music died down as the song drew to a close.

Reluctantly, Juvia forced herself to pull away. So, this was what Lyon had meant when he had said that love was about letting go.

She had always thought that the greatest test of strength was being able to love with abandon and hold on forever. But she never realized that it took just as much courage to let go and stand strong.

But this was something she could do. Something she'd do with her own strength.

"Thank you, Gray," said Juvia gently. "This was fun."

"Sure was," said Gray. Then he flashed her a crooked grin. "Why don't you let me lead next time?"

Juvia couldn't fight the broad smile that stretched her face.

* * *

 **I hope you guys liked that.  
**

 **Juvia is a polarizing character. Some people love her, others hate her. While I definitely have an opinion on the matter, Mazeverse doesn't seek to answer that question. I don't know that there is a right answer, because everyone's opinion is subjective. And before anyone tries to quote canon to me, just hear me out. The observations you've made of canon events are objective, but the interpretation of those actions is _not_ because that's based on your view of the world. Let's take it a step further. Your judgement on whether (your chosen interpretation of) a given observation is a positive or negative... and how much each one matters to you, is also highly individualized. Experiences, values, even a person's culture and the norms of the society we grew up in will affect how we perceive things.**

 **There's almost no point in trying to find a 'right' or a 'universal' interpretation of anything, since most things can be interpreted in multiple ways. For me, half the fun of Mazeverse is pulling together a collection of unusual interpretations and trying to play them out simultaneously to see where it'll take us. A lot of these theories aren't even mine. I get a lot of ideas from tumblr, FT Confess, people's headcanons, shipping manifestos, character shrines, and even anticharacter or antiship stuff. There are all sorts of really clever ideas that are outside of my purview.**

 **In Juvia's case, one of the things I wanted to do was play with the idea that she is so polarizing. I wanted to see if I could make her less so. I gave myself three rules. First, she has to retain all the qualities that her fans appreciate about her. Second, she has to _not_ exhibit specific behaviors that her haters cite as being problematic. Third, Juvia has to be recognizably Juvia. As you can see, there's some contradiction here, so I had to reserve creative license t** ** **o allow existing traits manifest in different ways (like her overactive imagination and daydreams are going to start taking a different role). I also made myself phase-in the updated traits slowly (**** **because we had to 'earn' the right to write her this way). Mazeverse-Juvia was the end result.  
**

 **For the record, I don't think that this rendition of Juvia's character is necessarily better or worse than her canon counterpart... all I really wanted to do is challenge your expectations a little and maybe make you pause and think. Juvia's not the only character that I've got theories about... I've got theories on other characters and some events as well. I'll try to remember to share what I'm testing out, but if I don't, feel free to ask. :)  
**

 **But enough serious talk. Who's taking center stage next week?**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala,_** **while Gray's busy with Juvia, what's Erza up to:** _But Jellal brought a finger to her lips to silence her. "It's 'Mystogan' tonight," he said._

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	6. It's 'Mystogan' Tonight

**Happy Friday! Who's ready for the weekend? :)**

 **I get the impression that I threw some of you guys for a loop with last week's chapter. If you're feeling that way, hold on to your seats! XD**

 **Let's rewind time just a little bit. We're back to when everyone's getting off the stage. We followed Freed in Chapter 3 and Lyon in Chapter 4. This time, let's follow Erza around for a bit (keeping in mind that the last chapter is happening at the same time as this one).  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

He had caught her by the elbow on their way off the stage.

"There's something I need to talk to you about," Gray had whispered.

"Here?" Erza had asked. What an odd place to have a discussion.

"Actually, no, not here," said Gray. "I'll come find you later, yeah?"

"Okay."

"All right. Cool."

Erza wondered how much later Gray was planning on waiting. He had made it—whatever it was—sound relatively important, but now, Gray was nowhere to be found.

This was strange. Granted, Gray had always been a little strange, but this was unusual, even for him.

Finally, Erza spotted him across the room. Gray's fingers were working absently at the top button of his jacket. Then they moved to rake through his hair before going back to fuss with his jacket again. He seemed anxious about something, though Erza couldn't imagine what.

Regardless, Erza decided that it would probably be best if she intervened quickly, otherwise, Gray would end up discarding his jacket along with who knew what else.

But Erza never got the chance to rescue Gray from public humiliation.

Because Juvia got there first.

Juvia looked hesitant as she spoke to Gray, her hands clasping at her dress. But whatever he said made her face light up. They made a pretty picture, laughing together like that.

Erza's stomach gave an odd little flip. Hadn't she told Gray that he needed to resolve things with Juvia? She had insisted on it. And now he was.

She was starting to wish she hadn't.

"Erza?"

The voice came from behind her, low and smooth.

Not daring to hope, Erza turned slowly, her gaze meeting a pair of serious hazel eyes. They peered out at her from beneath a black mask, elaborately adorned with silver filigree. Though the mask obscured the stranger's eyes, most of his nose and his right cheek, Erza would have recognized him anywhere.

Her heart soared, the smile pulling at her cheeks before she even realized what she was doing. Thoughts of Gray vanished as quickly as they had come. Such an interruption left her little time for regrets.

"Jel—" she started to say.

But Jellal brought a finger to her lips to silence her. "It's 'Mystogan' tonight," he said.

Erza nodded. " _Mystogan_." The name rolled awkwardly off her tongue.

"It's good to see you again, Erza," he said gently, his gaze brimming with warmth.

"I'm a little surprised to see you here, not that I'm complaining."

Jellal shrugged, "Well, I hadn't planned on coming, but I was… _persuaded_."

Erza wasn't sure what that meant, but she had a guess.

"It's good to see you, all the same," she said.

"Agreed. You look… _well_ ," he said softly.

They hadn't seen each other for ages. Was that all he had to say?

It wasn't quite the complement she was hoping for, but it wasn't a surprise either. Jellal always had this way of leaving her disappointed. Still, the emotion in his voice was undeniable. He'd missed her. Just like she'd missed him.

"So do you," said Erza.

Jellal nodded, distractedly. He tilted his head to the side, his eyes growing distant and pensive.

"What is it?" asked Erza curiously.

"Nothing much," he said, gaze snapping back to hers. "I was just thinking about how lovely this music is. It almost makes one want to dance."

"What? _Here_?" asked Erza, her forehead scrunching in disbelief.

Jellal nodded. "Mhm. Where else?"

"Nobody else is dancing," she pointed out.

"And isn't it a shame?" asked Jellal. "Come, Erza. Dance with me."

Breath catching, Erza could only nod, unable to keep the smile from her flushed face.

Jellal exuded confidence, taking her hand in his. He led her toward the middle of the floor, turning to face her. The hint of a smile played at his lips.

He pulled her close, spinning her into his arms. Erza's heart leaping to her throat in surprise, bracing herself as she collided against Jellal's sturdy chest. She felt a chuckle rumble through him, his strong arms pulling her close. Her heart drummed against her ribs.

Erza looked up, her eyes meeting Jellal's. The mask he wore covered half of his face, hiding his identity from the rest of the world. Beneath it, she could still see the boy she had known from childhood.

"Is the rest of your guild here?" she asked softly.

Jellal shook his head. "Half of them weren't involved in this particular mission. The ones that were—well, let's just say that their involvement isn't the sort of thing that warrants celebration," he said grimly, turning away.

"Ah, I see. I had forgotten that they were your teammates now," she said, one hand sliding up to rest on his shoulder.

Jellal inclined his head. "They're an interesting bunch, but not bad people."

She brought two fingers along his jaw, lifting his chin so he'd meet her eyes again.

"You like them," said Erza. "Admit it."

"Perhaps," shrugged Jellal. But he didn't look away this time. His gaze held steady on her face, unfaltering as he stepped them in time with the music.

"For _them_ , there's still hope," he said, something dark and unreadable flickering in his expression.

Erza didn't miss the subtle emphasis that tinted his regretful words. "And for you?" she asked.

From beneath his mask, Erza could only see the downward twitch of Jellal's mouth. "One day, I'll repay the debt that I owe."

"What debt?" she asked lightly. "You haven't taken up gambling, have you?"

Jellal's features twisted in a sardonic grin. "This is… a different sort of debt."

"No… Jellal… That wasn't you." Erza's heart ached for her childhood friend.

"You wouldn't understand. Crimes aren't so easily forgotten," he said with a sad smile.

Erza couldn't help the twinge of sympathy she felt for him. Would he ever forgive himself?

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Jellal," she offered softly.

He didn't respond. Instead, he pulled her into one final, dizzying spin that had her heart racing. As the final strains of the song drew to a close, he pulled her close once more, her back against his chest. His strong arms wrapped around her securely, holding tight as if afraid to lose her.

"I wish we could be… like this," murmured Erza. She arched her neck to look at him over her shoulder. "I never get to see you anymore."

"You should come visit us sometime," he breathed. "I'd like it if you would," he mumbled against the crook of her neck. His face was so close she could count the dark lashes that framed his serious eyes.

Heat rushed to Erza's cheeks as her stomach fluttered in anticipation.

"I'd like that, too," she whispered.

* * *

 **D'aww! :)** **Erza's going to go visit Crime Sorciere! Wonder what that will bring?  
**

 ** **Fun exercise for Jerza fans. Watch the music video for Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud, but imagine that as Jellal and Erza. Erza has her hair down and Jellal's wearing his Phantom of the Opera half-mask. You're welcome. :)****

 ** **To those who were rooting for a different team... (there's one ship in particular that would have been impacted by the last couple of chapters) hopefully you're feeling just a _little_ bit unsettled right now, maybe even a little anxious? I quit throwing around our 'No ship is safe' tagline, but it's totally still appropriate.****

 ** **Who's parade are we going to rain on next week? Let's spin the wheel...****

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala,_** **Gajeel is presumptuous:** _"She knows I'm into her. And I don't care what she says, Shrimp's got a thing for me too. I can just tell."_

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	7. Time to Make a Choice, Gajeel

**Happy Friday! This one was so much fun to write! My favorite chapter in this entire train wreck is one without any romance in it, go figure!  
**

 **For those who've forgotten, Gajeel was adamant in _Much Ado_. He was absolutely _not_ going to the dance. Well, here we are.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"Gajeel, are you really planning on staying home today?"

Gajeel was sprawled out on the couch, his eyes glued to flickering picture on his TV. "What's your problem, Lilly? I already said I wasn't going."

Pantherlilly sighed. He tottered in front of the TV, fuzzy torso blocking Gajeel's view. "Just so you know, I asked Levy to the Victory Gala," he said smugly. "Thought you'd want to know."

" _What_?" growled Gajeel, sitting bolt upright. _His_ _cat_ was asking out _his_ _girl_?

"She turned me down," shrugged Lilly. "But that's beside the point."

"Wait a minute! You making a move on my girl?"

"She's not _your_ girl, Gajeel. Not until you settle things with her."

"What's there to be settled?" asked Gajeel.

"Did you ask her out?" asked Lilly pointedly.

"Well, no…"

"And did she say yes?"

"Um…"

"I think my point stands," the Exceed said, crossing his stubby paws. "It's not real unless she says yes."

"She knows I'm into her. And I don't care what she says, Shrimp's got a thing for me too. I can just tell."

"Unfortunately, that's not how it works. Now, unless you man up and tell her exactly how you feel and that you want her to be your girlfriend, as far as I'm concerned, she's free to date whomever she wants."

Gajeel lay back down on the couch. "Yeah, but Shrimp wouldn't do something like that," he said, waving his hand. "She's too shy."

Lilly made an impatient noise, whisking his tail. "Gajeel. Lucy set her up with one of the mages from Pegasus."

"What?!" choked Gajeel.

"Time to make a choice, Gajeel."

Gajeel swore under his breath. He needed to get to that dance. _Now_.

"How much time do I have?" he demanded, almost tripping over his feet in his mad scramble to reach his closet.

"For what?"

"Until the dance starts," he called over his shoulder.

"You're already too late. It started an hour ago."

Gajeel swore again.

Even without looking, Gajeel knew he wouldn't have anything appropriate to wear. He wasn't big on events like this and since Levy hadn't said anything to him about it, he had bothered putting an outfit together.

Digging through his dresser drawers, Gajeel came across a wrinkled, green necktie that had been stuffed underneath his socks. Quickly, he looped the tie around his neck and tied it off, hoping fervently that Shrimp wasn't wearing her usual orange. If she was wearing orange, she'd never forgive him for the green tie.

Gajeel riffled through coat hangers, rejecting each item as he came across it. He was starting to think the only jackets he owned were hoodies, and he was _not_ about to show up to the Victory Gala in a hoodie. Salamander would never let him live it down and Sprinkler would probably give him an earful too.

Gajeel was ready to give up when his hand brushed against something woolly. His winter overcoat. It was thick and woolly, and far too heavy for early summer, but it was sort of a jacket. It had buttons and lapels and everything. On short notice, it would do.

He threw the jacket on, its charcoal grey complementing his black t-shirt nicely. It even redeemed the garish tie.

"Lilly, how do I look?" called Gajeel as he bent to put on his shoes.

"Fine. If you're going for the whole hyena look," said Pantherlilly.

Gajeel cursed again. With one shoe on and one shoe off, Gajeel hobbled for the bathroom. He knew he had some hairspray. Or some gel. Or mousse? Or something!

Nothing.

Then, Gajeel was struck with an idea. He and Sprinkler had gone on a job together last week. She had left her bag here, and he'd shoved it into his closet. There had to be something in there! There was no way that a girly-girl like Juvia didn't have some kind of girly-girl hair stuff.

Sure enough, Sprinkler's bag was right where he left it. With a silent apology to the owner, he opened it, trying not to pry. Luckily, her makeup case was near the top and he didn't have to go digging through the rest of her things. He opened it, overwhelmed by the little plastic cases and tubes. What was he even looking for?

Gajeel forced himself to breathe, sifting through the little bottles carefully, reading the label on each one. Mascara. Lip gloss. Lip balm. Primer. Concealer.

How much makeup did girls use?!

Finally, Gajeel spotted it. A little blue tube of Coconut Breeze Curl Cream. This was it.

Gajeel popped the cap, squirting a generous glob into his palm, silently promising himself that he'd buy Sprinkler a new tube the next time he went out. He rubbed his hands together, slicking the sticky substance through his long hair to smooth it down. Then he added a spritz of his own cologne so he would smell more normal and less like some sort of beach babe.

Gajeel surveyed himself in the mirror. It wasn't perfect, but that was as good as it was getting.

Pantherlilly was waiting for him out in the hall. The Exceed tsked, whipping his tail back and forth. "That is truly horrendous," he said.

"I tried my best, okay?" snarled Gajeel.

Gajeel rushed to the dance hall, the pavement pounding under his feet with every step. He mopped at the sweat beading on his face from the exertion and the too-heavy jacket. He paused on the front lawn, bracing himself on his knees to catch his breath. Once he had calmed down, Gajeel straightened. He smoothed his hair and fixed his tie.

" _Gajeel_?" asked an unfamiliar voice.

Cringing, Gajeel pivoted warily, coming face-to-face with one of the Lamia Scale guys. It was Sprinkler's relationship coach! Leon or something. Lyon, that was it!

"I'm looking for Shrimp," said Gajeel. "I mean Levy."

"Levy?" The Lamia Scale mage frowned. "Small girl. About this tall?"

"That's the one!" shouted Gajeel.

"I just saw her a little while ago with one of the guys from Pegasus," Lyon supplied.

"Is she wearing orange?" demanded Gajeel.

" _What_?!"

"Is she wearing orange?" repeated Gajeel impatiently. "Never mind! Which way?" he snarled.

Lyon pointed. "Move quickly. They seemed to be having a good time."

"Thanks! I owe you one!" said Gajeel. Then he turned back. "Hey, Sprinkler's friend! Got any words of wisdom to send me off with?"

"What in God's name are you talking about?" Lyon asked harshly.

"Y'know. Like relationship stuff," insisted Gajeel. Unfortunate as it was, this guy's advice seemed to be helping Sprinkler with the good-for-nothing Ice-Pervert. Maybe he could help here too.

Lyon cast him a scathing look, eyes narrowed in judgement.

"Sprinkler says you're good at that stuff."

The other man bit back an exasperated sigh. He looked thoughtful for a moment before he asked, "Do you love her?"

"Who? Sprinkler?" asked Gajeel.

Sprinkler's friend puffed a sigh. "No! _Levy_."

"I… I guess," said Gajeel, blinking.

"Yes or no, Gajeel. It's not a trick question," Lyon said, his voice flat and disdainful.

"I _like_ her," Gajeel shrugged. "I think."

"Is she someone you want in your life?" asked Sprinkler's friend.

Gajeel opened his mouth to speak, but Sprinkler's friend cut him off.

"Choose your words wisely. This _isn't_ some sort of game," Lyon said, his jaw tightening.

"…Yes." Gajeel gave a stiff nod.

"Then _there's_ your answer. Make sure she knows," Sprinkler's friend said quietly.

Gajeel smoothed his hair again, then tugged at his collar to straighten it. He had to look presentable for Shrimp.

"What are you waiting for, you idiot? _Do something_ before you lose her!" Lyon snapped.

Gajeel didn't need to be told twice.

* * *

 **I love Gajeel! It's hard to stay in his point of view, since I think he's got an obnoxious nickname for just about everyone. I hope it didn't get too stilted with all the 'Sprinkler' and 'Sprinkler's friend' and 'Shrimp' that Gajeel was using on and off.  
**

 **This one is sort of based on a true story. Two of my high school friends were just like Mazeverse's version of Gajeel and Levy. They were unofficially together. Every one knew it. Nobody flirted with him or you'd hear from her. Just like nobody ever gave her a hard time, or he'd kick someone's butt. Senior Prom came along and he (like Gajeel) decided that he wasn't going to go. She assumed he'd be taking her. As you can imagine, it didn't end well. High school was many years ago... these two are not together any more. I actually don't think they lasted very long after graduation, come to think of it.  
**

 **I thought about what they would have had to do to make it work. This was my (fictional) solution! :) But let me put this Gajeel x Levy drama on pause for a sec, mostly because when I wrote this, I did it chronologically. While all this was going on, on the other side of the guild...  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala,_** **Natsu has his own opinions on the Juvia-Gray-Erza-Jellal love square... and sinks his own ship(s):** _Gray didn't seem like the insincere kind of guy. Part of Natsu hoped that the Ice Block was just being careless. But if this kept up, someone was going to get hurt—probably Juvia and maybe Erza, too—and that was just not okay._

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	8. What Good Are Relationships?

**Happy Friday! Is it freezing where you are? It's been super cold here. We're going to think warm thoughts this week. Like Fire Dragon-Slayer warm. Let's see how Natsu's doing at the Victory Gala.**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

"Juvia's having a good day," observed Happy.

Natsu turned to see Juvia beaming, her cheeks flushed. She had a hand over her mouth to muffle what were probably meant to be squeals of joy.

Natsu wasn't totally sure what had gotten Juvia all worked up, but was only one thing that could make her smile like that. Juvia had never been subtle, so Natsu knew exactly how she felt about Gray. Heck, _everyone_ knew. There was no way the Ice Princess could have missed that fact, unless he was a total moron.

"I'll bet Gray said something to her," continued Happy. "He _liiikes_ her!" the Exceed trilled.

Natsu shook his head. "I'm not so sure about that," he said.

"Really? How come?" asked Happy.

"I can just tell," shrugged Natsu.

If Gray liked Juvia back, that was fine, but if he didn't, he had no business getting her hopes up. And Natsu could have _sworn_ that the Ice Block had a thing for Erza. That's what bothered him about this whole thing.

Natsu knew what he'd seen. Gray wasn't super obvious about it, but he wasn't nearly as sneaky as he liked to think he was. All the secret glances at their redheaded teammate when Gray thought no one was looking. The all too convenient excuses to do Erza little favors here and there. The way he'd always side with her in an argument. And, of course, the teasing that seemed to be reserved especially for Erza. As far as Natsu was concerned, those two were a done deal. He had been so sure that he would have bet his scarf on it!

Except… _that_ wasn't Gray dancing with Erza. Somehow, Erza was dancing with _Jellal_ and Gray was nowhere to be found.

That was the was the part that really confused Natsu. He hadn't pegged Gray as an indecisive guy. Cautious, maybe, but definitely not indecisive. How on earth would he have let Erza end up with Jellal?

Unless…

Natsu clenched his jaw. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but if Gray thought that he could play around with Juvia's heart because Erza was with Jellal, then the Ice Block had another thought coming.

It was a jerk move and Natsu didn't like it. _This_ kind of two-timing was a new low. It was practically worthy of one of the Pegasus guys. Even though Natsu knew that it wasn't any of his business, he couldn't keep the frown off his face, his eyes narrowing in annoyance.

Gray didn't seem like the insincere kind of guy. Part of Natsu hoped that the Ice Block was just being careless. But if this kept up, someone was going to get hurt—probably Juvia and maybe Erza, too—and that was just not okay. They were both his guildmates and he wasn't about to let that happen to either of them.

Natsu sighed. What good were relationships if all they did was hurt the people you cared about? It didn't make any sense.

"What's wrong, Natsu?" asked Happy.

"I think the Ice Block might be an idiot."

"So? You always think that."

"Still trying to decide whether or not to track him down and pound some answers out of him," shrugged Natsu. "But if I do that, Erza might kill me. And if she doesn't, Gramps just might. Actually, it might not be worth it."

Natsu didn't understand why relationships needed to be so complicated.

He could remember when it was just him and Lisanna. Even when they were kids, she had been a little bit wacky with playing house and whatever. But she _got_ him. She got him in a way that the others never could. When she was around, everything felt simple. It was just him and her, and everything just made sense. He missed that.

But then Lisanna died… and his heart hurt like he had lost Igneel all over again.

Moving on had taken a long time, especially when he couldn't remember what it felt like to smile. But he wasn't alone. The whole guild, Gramps, Gray and Erza, Elfman, Mira, Loke, Cana, Macao. All of them had grieved together. They had all helped to heal his broken heart.

Eventually, memories of Lisanna didn't feel so bad. They still hurt, because she was gone and she was never coming back. But they didn't hurt as much.

Then he'd met Lucy. Big-hearted, eager Lucy who smelled like peaches and cardamom and who could never pay her rent on time. Luce was insecure and maybe a little lonely. He could tell she needed a friend. So Natsu became that friend. There were days when he wondered if they were maybe a little more than friends. Sometimes the idea kept him up at night. But things were still pretty simple. After all, Lucy was Lucy.

Then Lisanna came back. And now _both_ of them were here. And things were… _complicated_.

Not that Natsu wanted anything different. He was _glad_ that Lisanna was back. And Lucy didn't _belong_ anywhere but right next to him. But part of him wished things could go back to the way they were.

Back when things were simple.

Lisanna.

Lucy.

Both of them were very special people. And honestly, he liked both of them just fine. Sure, he liked them both _differently_ , but it wasn't fair to ask him whether he preferred one over the other. That was like asking him if he'd rather give up ice cream or pizza for the rest of his life.

It wasn't just that he couldn't pick a favorite. It was the fact that if this kept up, someone was going to get hurt. That just wasn't okay. He couldn't do that to his friends.

"You look like you're thinking really hard," said Happy.

"Really?" asked Natsu with an awkward laugh. "Hey, Happy? What would you do if you had to pick between two things you really liked?"

"You mean like salmon and mackerel?" asked Happy.

"Not exactly. But, yeah, go with that."

"Well," said Happy, frowning. He paused as if to consider this. "I'd just have them both!" he declared.

Natsu let out a disbelieving breath. "I don't think it works that way, little buddy," said Natsu.

"Why not?" asked Happy. "Sometimes I have two kinds of fish for dinner," he insisted.

"I wonder if it's possible to friend-zone yourself," Natsu muttered under his breath.

"What?" asked Happy.

Natsu froze. That was it!

There was only one thing to do.

"Nothing. C'mon, Happy. I'm over this! Let's get outta here and get some real food. You up for some pizza?"

"I'd rather have some yummy fish," said Happy.

"We can get anchovy on it. Come on."

Lisanna waved cheerfully as he passed her. "Hey, Natsu! Hey, Happy! What'cha up to?"

"Nothin' really," said Natsu. He didn't stop. He _couldn't_.

"Wanna see what Bickslow just showed me?" she called after him. "It's a really cool trick you can do with champagne."

Natsu felt a twinge in his chest, and not in a good way. "Maybe later. Me and Happy got something to do," said Natsu.

"Oh… that's cool," she said. "Catch ya later!"

Lisanna's cheery tone wasn't fooling anyone. Natsu had seen the flash of disappointment in Lisanna's eyes. But Natsu couldn't worry about that now. The most important thing was that he didn't end up hurting her. He didn't think he'd be able to stand it if he made her cry.

Lucy caught him on the stairs. Natsu cringed.

"Natsu!" called Lucy. "What are—"

Natsu ducked his head, unable to meet her eyes. He swallowed hard, his mouth dry.

"Sorry, Luce. Gotta run!" he mumbled as he shouldered past her.

"Nats— _Hey_!" Lucy looked startled, but then she frowned.

Natsu gave a guilty grimace. This was for the best. It really was.

This way nobody would get hurt. Both girls were far too important to him. They were his friends first and foremost. He wouldn't risk that for anything.

Back at his house, Natsu ordered a pizza with anchovies, like he had promised Happy. Then he put in a movie lacrima and settled down on his couch, pushing aside a pile of laundry to make space for them to sit down.

"Natsu, are you sure that was a good idea?" asked Happy.

"What are you talking about?" asked Natsu. "Unless _you_ want to match socks, the laundry can stay right there."

" _No_ , I'm talking about us ditching."

Natsu smoothed the fur between Happy's ears. "Don't worry, little buddy! Everything's cool."

His Exceed partner looked at him with round eyes. "I don't think Lisanna was happy that you didn't want to hang out. Lucy looked pretty annoyed too."

Natsu shrugged. "I'm sure they'll forgive me by Monday. Lisanna's just nice that way. With Luce, I might have to invite myself over and bug her until she caves, but that's no big deal."

Happy gave him a dubious look. "Are you sure you won't regret this?"

Was he?

This was the right thing to do. It wasn't worth getting all bent out of shape. And if it came back to bite him later, he'd deal with it then.

"Eh, who needs girls?" said Natsu. Then he grinned. "I got you."

* * *

 **So, both Nalu and Nali are out of the picture for time being (Ack! Don't hate me! XD) until Natsu gets his head back in the game... but who knows how long that'll take. Natsu's never been a quick one. This is going to be a rough journey for some folks. Actually,** **I think this is exactly the sort of boneheaded thing that Natsu would do, though I do feel for the guy. He gets points for trying.  
**

 **I had another reason for wanting to play with this scenario and it has to do with the one-year-gap in canon. I like Nalu as much as the next person, but I didn't feel it appropriate to turn the one-year-gap into a Nalu thing. Natsu's been looking for Igneel for years. _Years_. And then bad stuff happens and Natsu ends up running. Making it into a Nalu thing cheapens it, IMHO. ****But I can't deny that a sudden disappearance from our boy makes for great angst material. So I give you this Natsu disappearance to explore the first scenario. Then we can do the Igneel thing later (in a slightly different way, since it's Mazeverse, and by the time we get there, the characters will have morphed into something a little different than their canon counterparts).**

 **Also, moving forward Natsu's going to treat Gray like he's some sort of criminal, since he's convinced that Gray is a serial player, even though he's not.** ** ** **Speaking of Gray, it would have been too easy to make him a player, or portray him in a negative light, but I really wanted to work with this idea that he (like Natsu and all the other guys here) is doing everything he can to make things work out for everyone. But sometimes, what he (or she) thinks is helpful, you don't. It sucks, but I think that's real. Half the theme of Mazeverse is that relationships aren't easy. (If they were, we'd all be living the good life, right? XD)******

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala,_** **Cana's playing wallflower. Who comes to her rescue?:** _Cana huffed, leaning back against the wall. "Gray made me come."_

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	9. You Looked Like You Needed a Drink

**Really, really, happy Friday! It's been an impossibly long week, so I'm looking forward to the weekend. :)**

 **There are a couple gotchas to watch out for in this chapter. The first is that this story will seem to contradict itself from chapter to chapter. Characters will claim things that we know isn't true, but that's because they don't know any better. We got to see things that they didn't and... hopefully we can sense the potential disaster.  
**

 **Also, a little reminder (from _Much Ado_ ) is that Cana was planning to skip out on the dance, but Gray wheedled her into it, saying that they could commiserate. It's only mentioned in passing, but it might be confusing if you don't realize that it's from the prequel.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Crown molding and crystal chandeliers. The echoing click of high-heeled shoes.

Around the room, her friends had paired off. They looked like they were having a great time. But as far as Cana was concerned, all of the fancy-schmancy was a little much for her tastes.

Cana took a step back, pressing her back against the velvet drapes that adorned the large French windows. She was wearing a floor-length velvet dress in a burgundy color. She didn't match the drapes exactly, but if she stood still, maybe nobody would notice that she was there. She couldn't wait for the night to be over.

A fizzing flute of champagne appeared in her vision.

Cana looked up in surprise, glancing from the glass to the Dragon-Slayer who held it. With the formal clothing and his hair parted and slicked over, Cana almost didn't recognize him. She was used to the wilder look that Laxus' usual fur-trimmed jacket gave him.

"You looked like you needed a drink," said Laxus, joining her. He looked surprisingly at ease in the formal setting.

Cana scoffed. "You call that a drink?" she asked. She accepted the flute anyway, taking a swig. With its fruity flavor and carbonation, it reminded her of a fruit-flavored soda. Champagne was a child's beverage.

"What are you doing here all by yourself?" asked Laxus, taking a sip from his own glass.

Cana huffed, leaning back against the wall. "Gray made me come."

"Fullbuster? And you actually came?" asked Laxus, his brows knitting.

"I think he didn't want me getting smashed at the guild if he wasn't going to be around to scrape me off the floor and take me home," she shrugged.

"And where is he now?"

"…Eh, I'm not really sure. I saw him walk off with Juvia, I think."

"Typical…" snorted Laxus. "So that's why you're hanging out here by yourself?" he asked.

"This just isn't my scene," she said. "What about you? I'm surprised to see you here."

"Why's that?" asked Laxus, quirking an eyebrow. "Makarov's grandson needs to make an appearance, doesn't he?"

Cana pressed her lips together. "Do you still think of yourself that way?" she asked quietly.

"Do you think of yourself as Gildarts' girl?" His eyelids dropped as he shot her a pointed glance.

Touché. Cana inclined her head, acknowledging defeat. "Doesn't it bother you?" she asked.

"It used to," admitted Laxus. "I'd get pretty pissed. I didn't want to be Makarov's grandson."

It surprised her a little. She and Laxus had grown up together, but she hadn't known him all that well back then. As they got older, she'd started thinking of him as a bit of a bad apple, especially with that whole Battle of Fairy Tail business. He was a real piece of work. But after he rejoined the guild, he seemed like an entirely different person.

It felt like she was meeting Laxus for the first time.

Cana watched as Laxus brought his glass up to his nose as if to smell it. Then he took another sip. "I don't know that it's a bad thing," he said. "It is what we are, right?"

"Sometimes," said Cana. "But sometimes, I just want to be Cana, you know? Find my own place."

Laxus looked her over, his green eyes thoughtful. "I don't think you ever stop being Cana. Do you?" asked Laxus seriously.

Cana bit her lip. "What do you mean?"

"It's like this. We're Fairy Tail, right?" Laxus brought his free hand to tap the side of his ribs, where his guild mark would be.

"Sure."

"Being part of Fairy Tail doesn't mean you stop being Cana."

"Of course not," said Cana with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Being a member of Fairy Tail is part of who I am," she said proudly.

"If you can be Cana and a part of Fairy Tail at the same time, why can't you be Gildarts' daughter too?" challenged Laxus. "It's just another part of who you are."

Cana shook her head, looking him over. She had always assumed that Laxus was all ego and bluster, but it seemed that he was deeper than she had assumed.

"You seem to have it all figured out," she said, not bothering to hide her awe.

The Lightning Dragon-Slayer shrugged. "Being kicked out of the guild gave me time to think," said Laxus. "A lot of time."

Cana took another gulp of her drink. It didn't taste bad, by any means. It just wasn't any _good_. She swirled the liquid around the glass, watching the bubbles rise to the top.

"What are you doing?" asked Laxus, watching her curiously.

"That's what people do when they drank fancy wine, right?"

"Yeah," he choked a laugh. "Wine. Not champagne."

"There's a difference?"

The corner of Laxus' mouth twitched in amusement, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he took another sip from his own flute before setting it down on the windowsill.

He pulled her glass from her grasp, his hand warm when it brushed hers. He adjusted her fingers so they pinched the skinny part of the glass, near the base.

"Like this," he said, his fingers lingering on hers. "It won't stay cold if you hold it the other way," he explained. "Then it won't taste as good."

Cana shrugged, throwing back another mouthful. "It's not like it tasted all that good in the first place. It's champagne."

"Can you actually taste it when you do that?"

"Yeah, it tastes like a cheap lemon soda."

Laxus picked up his own glass. "Why don't you try sipping it?" he said, bringing the flute to his lips in demonstration.

Cana mimicked the motion, letting the champagne fizz across her tongue. It didn't have the burn of the liquor she liked, but if she paid attention, she could pick out a couple of different flavors as they shot across her taste buds.

"Tastes different that way, doesn't it?" he asked.

"That's so weird…" mumbled Cana, her eyes widening.

"What's it taste like?" asked Laxus.

Cana took another sip, closing her eyes to try to identify the flavors.

"It's fruity and tart. Lemon," she said.

Laxus nodded. "What else?"

Cana took another sip. "Apple?" she asked.

He nodded. "There's a sweetness to it too," he prompted.

"A little bit like… like honey!"

Laxus smiled. "Now, try it again."

Cana took another small sip, her taste buds coming alive as the champagne hit her tongue. She gave an incredulous laugh. "Where did you learn how to do that?"

"Freed and Ever," he said, sounding bored. He threw back another mouthful of his own drink. "We end up at places like this when it's their turn to pick. Does that surprise you?"

"You just seemed more casual, that's all."

"Give me a nice sports bar any day," said Laxus.

"I'll drink to that," laughed Cana, jokingly raising her glass. "But, I guess this is nice too."

Laxus nodded, humming in agreement. Finishing the last of his glass, he pushed away from the wall. "If you ever want to do a wine tasting, let me know," he told her. "We're probably going to start needing an extra person to round out our numbers," he said, hand raised in a backward wave.

Wine tasting, huh? What a surprise…

Cana watched as Laxus melted into the crowd. She hadn't realized they had so much in common. Cana didn't know if she'd go for a wine tasting, but she wouldn't say no to a sports bar.

She raised her glass, eying the pale-gold liquid. She brought the glass to her nose, smelling it like Laxus had done. Closed her eyes, she relished each flavor, complementing each other like notes in a harmony.

Champagne was surprisingly complex. Almost like Laxus.

* * *

 **An extra person? Hmm... Someone's counting his MiraFreed chickens before they hatch...  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala,_** **we're catching back up with Gajeel as he tries to crash Levy's date:** _"Want me to sing ya another song? I can sing ya another song."_

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	10. I Think, Maybe, I Like You

**Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day! I'm posting a little early for those who are surfing fanfic for some sweetness instead of going out tonight. If that's you, don't despair...** **the day _after_ Valentine's is even better. In fact, it's arguably the best day of the year. Why? Because the day after Valentine's is when you can get your chocolate for half off! And you could say that the same thing happens after Halloween... but I think Valentine's is better, because this was the _good_ chocolate for people you _actually_ care about! XD ****LOL.  
**

 **I actually can't take credit for that one. It's just something that I remember one of my professors saying back in undergrad. Sadly, one of the few things that I retained from my school years... ;)  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Levy rested her elbows on the table, pushing her empty glass aside. She and Hibiki had grabbed one of the tables that dotted the perimeter of the dancefloor. They had both long since finished their drinks, but she was enjoying herself far too much to worry about a refill.

"I disagree," Hibiki was saying. "Why wouldn't you have used Andoullouie's Method? Granted, it would require the use of a cipher, but it would have simplified the translation process."

"See, I thought of that," said Levy. "But I ruled it out pretty quick. Based on the structure and the order of the words, I could tell that we were dealing in ancient Valeish."

"You can tell that just by looking?" asked Hibiki, clearly impressed.

Levy grinned. She leaned towards him, lowering her voice. "The give-away is all the double 'd's," explained Levy, holding a finger up. "When you see that, along with all the 'y's that are used, there's no way it could be anything else."

Hibiki nodded, his lips pulling into a smile. "That's… very clever," he said.

"I'm glad you think so," said Levy. "Actually, nobody's ever told me that before," she admitted.

"Are you serious?" asked Hibiki, his brows drawing together. "That's kind of genius."

Initially, Levy had been hesitant about her blind date with Hibiki. But now she was glad she'd come. Not only was Hibiki an excellent conversationalist, he knew more about syntax and cyphers than anyone she'd ever met.

Levy had never met anyone so fascinating.

"It's not that strange," said Levy. "Script magic tends to be underappreciated. By the way, how do _you_ know so much about scripts and written enchantments?" she asked. "It's not exactly a common field of expertise."

"I dabble in it from time to time," he said modestly, steepling his fingers.

"I think you more than dabble," said Levy. "It took me years to get the difference between Oiruss and Galek figured out."

Hibiki flashed her a secretive smile, his eyes scrunching in embarrassment. "You caught me. So… is it weird that I'm kinda into this stuff?"

"Not at all," said Levy. "It's what I do, right?"

"You should totally hit me up the next time you want to geek out! Might be fun," said Hibiki, a glimmer of excitement lighting his eyes.

"For sure!" A wide smile stretched Levy's face. "You have no idea how hard it is to find someone who speaks the same language," she said.

"Pun intended?" asked Hibiki, grinning crookedly.

"Of course!" she laughed.

"Hey, Levy. So, I wasn't going to say anything, but I just figured…" Hibiki shrugged. "You know they're having that scripting convention in downtown Crocus next month, right? Well, I've got tickets and—"

"You got tickets to LinguaCon?!" squeaked Levy. " _How_?"

"I have connections," joked Hibiki. "One of the perks of being a guild recruiter."

"They'd already sold out when I looked. I was so bummed!" Levy had never imagined that tickets for something as obscure as a scripting convention could sell out so quickly.

"I've got an extra ticket, if you want to come with," offered Hibiki.

"That'd be awesome!" said Levy.

"That sounds like fun. Can I come too?"

The gravelly voice from beside her made Levy jump. Turning, Levy found Fairy Tail's Iron Dragon-Slayer perched coolly in the chair beside her.

" _Gajeel_? I thought you weren't coming," she said.

Gajeel leaned back in his chair. "Who told ya that? Heh-heh."

"Does it matter?" asked Levy, narrowing her eyes.

"What are you so mad about?" asked Gajeel. "If you wanted me to take you, Shrimp, all ya had to do was ask," Gajeel said, shrugging.

"Who says I wanted to go with you?"

"Eh?"

"I never said I'd go with you, and I didn't say I wanted to," snapped Levy.

"Want me to sing ya another song? I can sing ya another song."

"Oh, Gajeel, _please_ , no."

"Listen up everybody," said Gajeel loudly. "I just wanted to—"

"Be quiet! People are _staring_ ," Levy hissed.

"What's wrong? Are you embarrassed?"

"No. I'm sick of you turning everything into a production. Is this just a PR stunt to you?"

"Well, no…"

"You only seem to know how to talk to me when you've got the whole guild watching," she complained. "All the other times, I'm not sure what your deal is."

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm not embarrassed by it or nothing'," said Gajeel, running a hand over his slicked back hair. "Even though we don't always talk about it."

"Gajeel…" sighed Levy, shaking her head. "I just—"

"I think, maybe, I like you, Shrimp," Gajeel interrupted quietly.

"Maybe?" asked Levy, tapping her nails on the table impatiently.

"I think, maybe, I like you a lot," he said. "And we don't gotta talk about it all the time, but sometimes I can't keep it to myself anymore. I want to shout it from the rooftops, Shrimp. I want to let everyone know that you're my girl. You will be my girl, right?" Gajeel asked.

" _What_?"

Levy's brain swam. Was he asking her out? Or was this another one of those caught-up-in-the-moment gestures that kept her hoping, but left her with nothing?

"Shrimp?" asked Gajeel, his grin starting to waver. His eyes were trained on her face expectantly.

"Gajeel, I… I…" she mumbled. Her face was hot, but her hands had gone cold. She shook her head dumbly, still trying to process Gajeel's words.

"Is that a yes?" Gajeel asked desperately, his voice low.

"Gajeel…" she whispered. Levy blinked, nodding slowly.

Gajeel let out a huge breath, a studded hand coming to rest against his chest. He grinned. The he stopped, his eyes wide. "Wait. It's not real until you say 'yes.' That's what Lilly says," he told her sagely.

" _What_?"

"You have to say it. Say 'yes.'"

Levy let out a breathy chuckle, her forehead scrunching in exasperation. "…Yes. Of course, it's a yes."

"Shoo-be-doo-bah!" cheered Gajeel, pumping his other fist in the air.

"Don't do that!" laughed Levy, swatting Gajeel in the arm playfully.

"Why not? The smartest girl in the room just said she'd be mine!" shouted Gajeel, tucking a large arm around her shoulders.

"Stop that!" giggled Levy, leaning into his side.

Behind her, someone cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Are you guys okay if I…" Hibiki nodded towards the opposite end of room. "I think I saw somebody that I wanted to say hi to."

Levy cringed, guilt numbing the pit of her stomach. "Oh, Hibiki… I'm sorry… I—"

"No, don't be." Hibiki shrugged. "Today's just not my day, apparently."

"I'm still up for LinguaCon, if you want someone to geek out with," she said. "But don't feel like you have to or anything. I don't want to make it awkward," she added quickly.

"No, that sounds fun, actually," said Hibiki

"You sure?" asked Levy.

Hibiki grinned crookedly at her. "There aren't enough geeks in Fiore not to be friends with all of them, am I right?"

"For sure!" said Levy. "Gajeel, you're okay with that, right?" she asked hastily.

"As long as you keep your hands to yourself and bring her back by curfew," said Gajeel.

Levy pouted, crossing her arms. "I'm a big girl, Gajeel."

"You're small enough for me to lose," said Gajeel. "And I ain't about to let that happen."

* * *

 **#Endgame**

 **Yay, Gale!  
**

 **But now that I've done this, I'm sort of liking the idea of Hibiki x Levy. I'd like to do them as a pair in another universe. I enjoyed writing them, but I think I'd have to do a modern AU or something where their area of expertise is something I have background in (like engineering or math or something). I really had a hard time nerd-festing with them here because I'm not a linguistics person, and I feel like I can't technobabble convincingly without some sort of subject-knowledge.**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala,_** **so what happens to Hibiki now, seeing as he's 0 for 2 (got ditched by both Jenny _and_ Levy): **_With a guilty squirm, Lucy approached him, hoping Hibiki wasn't too upset. "I guess my blind date blew up on you, huh?" she asked, her forehead scrunching ruefully._

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	11. Maybe Tonight Won't Be a Total Waste

**Happy Friday!**

 ** **For those keeping score, I promised exactly one pair would find endgame in this fic. And we got our Gale last chapter. So, we can deduce that from here to the end (3 more chapters), there'll be a fair amount of heartbreak... or at least upsetting the apple cart.****

 **What's that you say? The Gale wasn't what you were expecting? I'll admit that it wasn't one of the pairs that I seemed to give a lot of screen time towards setting up. (I tend to give more set up for non-canon ships, or places where I'm rewriting history and contradicting canon.) I guess I don't see their relationship as being horribly complicated, and they got most of what I thought they needed in canon, so I figured I wouldn't reinvent the wheel. I kept their arc pretty short. We'll still see Gajeel and Levy, but I'll start portraying them with Established Relationship Problems as opposed to Will They, Won't They.  
**

 **For the most part, I try to be positive about all the ships featured in Mazeverse, since I know I've got a diverse audience. However, I do have my preferences and opinions. From a personal perspective, I have to confess that I do have some issues with Gale, because of how they started in the Phantom arc. Yes, I know he's supposedly changed and redeemed himself in the Battle of Fairy Tail, and he treats Levy pretty well now, but it still bothers me at a certain level. If I were Levy, and a guy was physically violent towards me, I don't know that I'd be able to accept him in the future. Opposing gangs and guilds at war, sure. But, guys that hit are never good news. And like they say, once a cheater, always a cheater... If he hits you once, who's to say he won't do it again? But that's just my opinion. And that's _not_ a theme I plan on exploring in Mazeverse.**

 **My opinions aside, Gajeel and Levy are canon to this universe now. :)**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Rumors about Gajeel and Levy spread like molten iron. Soon they were the talk of the night. Lucy couldn't have planned it better herself!

Well, technically, she didn't actually plan it. But they looked cute together, so she whole-heartedly endorsed the match! That was all that really mattered. Sometimes people just needed a little push to get them moving in the right direction!

Natsu was one of these people. Lucy still couldn't believe he had ditched like that. That guy had no sense of romance! He was just so… _frustrating_.

If he didn't want to hang out, all he had to do was say so. He really didn't have to up and run like she was some sort of monster. Actually, if she had been a monster, he probably would have stayed to pick a fight…

And that left her all alone. Well, at least she wasn't the only one. Cana was by herself too. Maybe she should stop by and see if Cana wanted to hang out. Maybe they could ditch early and have a girls' night. They could talk about how dumb the guys in their guild were. Then, tonight wouldn't be a total waste.

Lucy was about to head over, but stopped when she noticed another lonely figure. Hibiki lounged at one of the corner tables, nursing a drink. Lucy grimaced. That was probably kind of her fault. After all, she _was_ majorly responsible for bringing Gajeel and Levy together.

With a guilty squirm, Lucy approached him, hoping Hibiki wasn't too upset.

"I guess my blind date blew up on you, huh?" she asked, her forehead scrunching ruefully.

"I wouldn't say that," said Hibiki mildly. He took a slow sip from his drink before grinning at her crookedly.

"Really? What would _you_ call it, then?"

"It just… sort of… imploded."

"So basically, it blew up," said Lucy dryly. "Sorry! This really wasn't what I had in mind when I called you last week."

"It's cool," shrugged Hibiki. "Levy's a cool girl. I'm glad I got to meet her."

"Doesn't it bother you?"

"It's like I told Levy, it's just not my night," he said absently.

Hibiki's eyes were fixed on a far point across the room. Lucy wondered what could possibly have him so preoccupied.

"You're sure everything's okay?" asked Lucy.

Hibiki answered her question with one of his own.

"Wanna go for a walk?" he asked suddenly.

"O-okay…" said Lucy.

Who needed Natsu? There were plenty of other fish in the sea. And if she needed to kiss a few frogs before she found her prince, then so be it.

Hibiki flashed her a smile, revealing a perfectly straight, white teeth. Gallantly, he offered her his arm.

"Miss Lucy," he said, giving a playful bow. He was obviously flirting, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It was nice to feel important for a change.

"Well, thank you, kind sir," said Lucy, letting her voice dip coyly. She wasn't sure why her heart gave a little flutter as she accepted. She knew that none of this was real. It bothered her a little bit.

Leaving the opulence of the ballroom behind, Hibiki lead them outside. The grass crunched softly beneath her sandals.

"What brought this on?" asked Lucy.

"I don't know what you mean," said Hibiki.

"Yes, you do," said Lucy.

"You want the real reason or the Sorcerer Weekly version of events?" asked Hibiki with a smirk.

"What's the _real_ reason?" she asked. She wasn't about to let Hibiki off the hook that easily.

Hibiki shrugged. "I was bored. You looked bored," he said. "I thought we'd make the best of it. Besides, I figured I wasn't going to get stood up three times," said Hibiki breezily. "The odds of that were astronomically low."

"And the Sorcerer Weekly version?" asked Lucy, trying not to laugh.

"What kind of man could say no to the idea of having a pretty girl on his arm?" he said, winking at her.

Lucy giggled. Hibiki wasn't Natsu, but maybe this night wouldn't be a complete waste after all.

* * *

 **I love how Lucy thinks the Gale was her idea... Poor Hibiki, though. First Jenny, then Levy? Come on! But he's still a total player.  
**

 **Lucy had better watch out... she flirts with just about everyone (just like Hibiki). That's a recipe for disaster. No better way to convince a guy that you're not actually interested (or that you're not sincere enough to be worth his time).**

 **Oh, wait... remember who friend-zoned himself a few chapters back? Hmm... trouble, trouble...**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala,_** **Freed works up his courage:** _With cool determination, Freed bowed low, extending his hand. "May I?"_

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	12. May I?

**Happy Friday!**

 **Let's get angsty! There are only two chapters after this and all are deliciously sad, if it's your ship, that is. Actually, if I've done a good job** **—and I hope that I have** **—then maybe you'll feel bad for the characters, even if breaking them up would be good for your ship.  
**

 ** **As a side note, I figured something out about my writing. So I started to watch the Vampire Diaries. (Yeah, I know. I'm late to the party, as per usual. XD) I'm not very far in but it looks like a fun show with lots of complicated relationships and interpersonal drama. It ran for eight seasons, so it must have been doing something right... But for as much as I'm enjoying it, there's a part of me that finds it perplexing (supernatural cliches aside). There are parts that are really feel-good and fluffy or intensely romantic, and it seems to hit all the right notes. But at the same time there's a little voice in my head that's like: "Reality check. They did _not_ just do that; she's known him for how long?! And they're already at the can't live without you stage?" Or: "Wasn't he totally making eyes at this other girl just five minutes ago? And she buys this nonsense?" And like I said, there's part of me that's enjoying it, so I get why people like watching stuff like this, and why people expect certain things from tangle-of-romance stories (like Mazeverse). On the other hand, there are aspects that don't quite make sense to me, so I can't really write that way myself. :)****

 ** **I've noticed that my love-triangles and love-squares aren't really put together in the most conventional way. You don't get the sort of back-and-forth that you might see in something like Vampire Diaries. Instead of chemistry and sparks everywhere, you get more of a feeling of gradual anticipation or slow dread. I'm sort of into slow burn and repressed feelings** , so I find that way more romantic than the sudden whirl-wind, Romeo and Juliet-esque type of setup or the typical YA romance chew-toy-character wavers between two romantic interests and acts like an indecisive waffle setup. Ink and Quills has a really neat analysis on this idea (look up "How to Write a Love Triangle Like Jane Austen" if you're interested), that happens to be pretty close to how I approach writing most of my romance.**

 **Wow... that was a really long-winded way to say: "I've noticed that the way I write ships is weird, but I'm sticking with it, since I think it might work..." :P**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Mira watched the dancers spin by. They were so graceful with swishing hair and swirling skirts. Mira wondered if Laxus would like to dance. She imagined he'd be good at it.

Among the dancers were Elfman and Evergreen. Evergreen was gorgeous in her taffeta gown and Elfman looked quite handsome next to her. Elfman had wrapped his arms around his girlfriend, pulling her against his chest. They seemed to be having a nice time.

Even though they had only been dating for a short time, Mira liked to imagine Evergreen as her sister-in-law. It was pretty much inevitable, as far Mira could tell. Ironically, she hadn't imagined them working out, at first. They were just so different. But now, they seemed happier together than apart, and that was all that mattered, wasn't it?

Across the room, Mira caught another odd-looking couple. Mira watched curiously, surprised to find her modeling rival, Jenny, sharing hors d'oeurves with a man with dog ears and a muzzle. At first, Mira almost cringed. Was he even human?

But despite his animalistic appearance, Jenny's beau seemed shy and endearingly awkward. And it made Jenny smile. Not the fakey, model-smile that Mirajane knew all too well. It wasn't even the camera-ready smile that Jenny usually wore to events. No, Jenny's face pulled with a smile that started from the heart and crinkled her eyes.

Mira flushed, embarrassed to have judged them so quickly. Love was love. Well, maybe it wasn't quite love yet. They were still a little awkward, like they were on their first date. And it might have been a little soon to call it love, but there was definitely something there.

Besides, who was she to judge? By all respects, Laxus wasn't fully human either.

Mira wondered where he had gotten off to. She hadn't seen him since after the ceremony.

Mira let herself out onto one of the adjoining patios. Out of the way and away from prying eyes, these patios were the perfect spot for a private moment or a romantic encounter.

Out here, the air was refreshing and the sky seemed so vast. Anyone could imagine they were in their own little world here.

Mira watched as Hibiki and Lucy crossed the lawn below. Who'd have thought? She certainly wouldn't have imagined those two together, but so many things had surprised her tonight that Mira just took it in stride.

Mira couldn't help but imagine her own secret rendezvous out here. Maybe a certain someone would stop by, looking handsome in his suit. He'd smell of soap and aftershave and the tiniest hint of cologne. And he'd tap her on the shoulder and say—

"Am I interrupting?"

That _wasn't_ Laxus.

Mira smiled cheerfully, ignoring the sinking feeling of disappointment in her chest. "Oh, hey, Freed. We meet again!" she giggled.

"So we do," he said, his voice soft and gentle, like it always was. "May I join you?"

"Of course," she said, waving at the empty space next to her. "This is a nice venue," she said. "Everyone looks like they're having a great time."

"They certainly do. But what about you? Don't you like to dance, Mira?"

"Sure," said Mira. "It's every girl's dream, isn't it? To play princess for a day. Just like Cinderella at the ball."

"Then what are you doing out here?" he asked.

"I was kind of hoping that Laxus would ask me to dance," she confided.

Freed went still, his expression going slack. He angled himself away from her.

"You okay? What's wrong?" asked Mira. "Freed?" Mira put a hand on Freed's arm.

Freed turned back toward her slowly. An odd expression pulled at his features as he regarded her with careful eyes.

Mira's belly knotted. He couldn't _possibly_ … She retracted her hand hastily, as if the contact burned her.

Then she remembered his words from earlier, her eyes widening.

 _What if you already have a Gray, but you're too Erza to see it?_

Mira's breath caught, heavy in her chest. When she said she wanted to dance, this wasn't what she had in mind!

With cool determination, Freed bowed low, extending his hand. "May I?"

"Freed, that's nice of you, but…" Mira shook her head, not quite sure what to say. Freed was a kind, gentle soul. She didn't want to hurt him.

"Mirajane, I…"

Mira took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She had to be honest with him. She wouldn't dance with anyone else.

"I can't," said Mira.

Freed's expression went slack, his face paling. He stumbled backwards, barely catching himself against the railing.

Mira's heart gave a guilty twist at Freed's crestfallen expression. This was her fault, but she didn't know what else to do. She couldn't give him what he wanted.

"I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry, Freed," she said, her voice catching. "You see, I still… I still have feeling feelings for Laxus."

For a long moment, Freed said nothing, swallowing hard as he stood stock-still. He didn't twitch, didn't blink. He looked like he wasn't even breathing.

"Freed? Say something," said Mira.

But Freed's response to that was even worse than his silence. "I understand. I apologize if I've made you uncomfortable," he said in an emotionless voice. He bowed his head, his movements unnaturally stiff. "Forgive me for being so forward."

"No! It's not—Freed, wait," said Mira. She started to reach out, her hand hovering in midair. But she couldn't follow through with it. She didn't really want to stop him.

Freed's lips quirked into an understanding smile, though his eyes were still sad. "Have a good night, Mirajane."

Mira's chest was heavy with remorse as she watched Freed walk away, but there was nothing she could do. Laxus was the one she wanted. It would always be Laxus.

* * *

 **Ooh. Poor Freed. I sort of hinted that this would be the fallout, but it's official. Freed, Mira, Laxus and Cana are our newest love square. It's a really awkward one because they're two pairs of friends.** **  
**

 **Compare that to the whole Lyon, Juvia, Gray, Erza, Jellal fiasco. Juvia and Erza don't _dis_ like each other, but in this fic they're not besties either. The guys aren't super close either.  
**

 **Speaking of Gray and the pentagon that he's part of...  
**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala,_** **let's actually catch up with Gray. We keep using the 'What if you have a Gray...' meme, but where does he really stand?:** _Gray's stomach churned. All he could see was Erza. And Jellal. The way they danced together, moving as one._

 **Stop back next Friday for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	13. What Love's Supposed to Look Like

**Happy Friday! This week, back to one of the guy's POV's.  
**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Blindly, he pushed past the French doors that opened out into one of the patios. The night was cool and crisp. Gray breathed hard, gulping down air to try and still his pounding heart.

He'd seen them. Erza… with Jellal. The convict from Crime Sorciere. Did he _really_ think he was fooling anybody with that stupid mask?

Of all the guys she could have fallen for, why did it have to be _him_? How could Erza have forgotten how badly he had treated her? Gray didn't care how indebted Erza felt toward Jellal. He still hadn't forgiven him for hurting her like that.

Gray let himself collapse against the railing, his head pillowed against the crook of his elbow. The cool stone sapped the cloistering heat from his skin.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?"

Gray turned to see Juvia peering out at him curiously. Gray cringed. He had come out here because he wanted to be alone. He didn't know if he could handle Juvia right now.

"Just getting some air," he said. "It's way too warm in there."

"It's a lovely night, isn't it?" said Juvia, coming out to join him.

"Sure." Gray's stomach churned. All he could see was Erza. And Jellal. The way they danced together, moving as one.

That should have been him.

"Nights like tonight make me think of all the possibilities in the world," said Juvia.

Gray made a noncommittal noise in the back of his throat.

Possibilities… _What_ possibilities? Things were looking pretty impossible, as far as he could tell.

Tonight was supposed to be his night to let Erza know how he felt. But Jellal had beat him to it.

If only he hadn't danced with Juvia. He might have been able to catch Erza before Jellal did. Then he and Erza would be together by now. Of course, he had no one to blame for that but himself. Dancing was Juvia's idea, but _he_ was the one who agreed to it.

He'd missed his opportunity. But this wasn't the first time, was it? If he was serious about letting Erza know how he felt, couldn't he have said something to her the other day? Yesterday, when he'd had taken her out on his bike? A few weeks ago, when they had all gone to the beach? How many other opportunities had let slip through his fingers?

Why had he waited so long? Why hadn't he just _said_ something?

"Gray?" Juvia tapped his arm gently.

Gray blinked. "Sorry, what was that?"

Juvia giggled, a hand rising to her mouth.

Gray winced. He'd _completely_ zoned on her. Somehow, she always managed to catch him at his worst. Of course, none of this was Juvia's fault. It was just how things seemed to work out. Sometimes, it made Gray feel a little badly.

Gray didn't really _want_ to push Juvia away. Not _again_. And for a second, Gray considered trying to fake his way through this conversation.

But could he fake his way through the rest of the night?

No chance.

Five more minutes and he'd bite someone's head off. Juvia's, probably, given his rotten luck, (or maybe hers). She always got caught in the crossfire when he lost his temper. The whole thing just made him feel guilty and he was getting a little sick of always feeling guilty.

And of course, sweet girl she was, she'd let him go and give him another pass. And that really wasn't fair. He couldn't keep taking advantage of her compassion like that.

Juvia was too forgiving for her own good. But more than that, she was smart, devoted, and very pretty. And any guy would have been lucky to have that. Who wouldn't want to wake up to somebody who looked at them the way Juvia looked at him?

But that wasn't what Gray wanted.

That wasn't what love was supposed to look like. Love was icy mountains and jobs for two. Strawberry cake and sitting in the snow. Late night chats. Long bike rides. Love was a future of shared happiness and sorrow, with someone who was ready to face it together.

Part of Gray wondered if he just needed to try harder. Maybe if he gave her another chance, he might feel differently about Juvia. But he couldn't do that to her. That just wouldn't be fair.

Sometimes, Gray wished Juvia would just lay off already.

But Juvia couldn't just let it go. Of course, Gray would know all about that. He was practically an expert at hopeless, unrequited love. Honestly, he couldn't decide which was sadder: the fact that Juvia still couldn't let go of him, or the way that he still wouldn't give up on Erza. Suddenly he could sympathize with Juvia's position.

Seeing as he didn't wear his heart on his sleeve, Juvia had some excuse for her blind hope. Gray had actually seen Erza and Jellal together, which meant that _he_ was just plain being stupid.

God, it made him sick just thinking about it. The way Jellal had taken Erza in to his arms. So carefully. So _lovingly_. He'd pulled her close with those traitorous hands. Then he'd turned his masked face toward her, his nose pressed the soft skin of her neck. Was he just whispering to her? Was he kissing her? Gray couldn't tell, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

All he knew was that it should have been him. Gray's stomach gave a nauseous little tumble. He swallowed hard. He needed to get out of here before he saw something else that made him want to hurl.

"Gray, do you think—"

"Hey, I think I'm going to duck out early tonight," interrupted Gray. "I'm not feeling too hot."

Juvia's smile was replaced with concern. "Oh, no. Are you all right? You aren't sick, are you? Do you want to sit down?"

Gray forced a smile. "It's fine. I was out late last night, so I'm probably just a little tired. Long bike ride. Probably wasn't the best idea."

"How can I help? Some water? Or something?" she asked anxiously.

"Nah, I think I just need to go home and sleep it off," said Gray.

"Are you sure?" she asked, frowning.

"I'm fine. I swear," he said, waving her off.

Juvia didn't look convinced, her teeth worrying at her lower lip.

"Don't worry so much. It's not worth it," he said, shaking his head. He hated being the one who made her look like that. "Don't let me be the one to ruin your night."

"But… _I_ think you're worth it," said Juvia softly.

The words left a sour taste in Gray's mouth. There was that dauntless hope and devotion again.

Juvia was a sweet girl. All he ever seemed to do was worry her. Disappoint her. _Hurt_ her. And that wasn't what he wanted.

But _she_ wasn't what he wanted. And he couldn't change how he felt. He wasn't about to lie to her either.

Gray heaved a sigh, pressing his lips together. "Enjoy the rest of your evening," he said finally, turning to leave.

"I hope you feel better," said Juvia.

A vision sprang unbidden into his mind. It was an image of himself and Juvia. Dancing, like they had earlier. He was laughing, she was laughing, and they were happy. Did he really regret that?

Honestly, he didn't.

A leadenness settled in Gray's chest. Part of him recognized that he was walking away from what could be the best thing that ever happened to him. And for a moment he hesitated.

Was he ready to let this one go?

Wouldn't it be easier to let her carry on? To let her keep loving him like this. All he would have to do was keep his mouth shut. He'd have her. And if his feelings for her changed and he grew to love her, she'd be there. They could be just like they were today. Happy.

But that felt cheap. He couldn't keep her hanging just in case. And he refused to use her like some sort of a rebound. Juvia deserved better.

Someday, somebody would give her that. He just wasn't sure he'd be that person.

"Juvia?" Gray turned to face her. "I…" Gray trailed off shaking his head.

"Yes?" she asked, her eyes wide and hopeful.

Gray's voice died in his throat. _I'm sorry._ That's what he had been about to say. _I couldn't be everything you hoped for. You deserve better than this. But I don't know that I can give you that._

But there was something he could give her.

Even if things didn't work between him and Erza, they'd still be friends. He'd always have that. But Juvia had no such reassurance.

Friends, he could probably do. And Gray was willing to give that a shot, at least.

So instead of the apology he'd intended, he said, "I'll see you around, 'kay?" He gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder as he passed.

* * *

 **Poor Gray!** ** **He's really kicking himself over the Erza thing now.** I think he's the sort of brooding person who could stress over something to the point of being physically ill, so going home is probably not a bad idea. ****For time being, I'd say that Gray's relationships are very much in jeopardy. H** **e's in for a long and painful arc.** **(If this idea depresses you, and you're looking for something more Grayza, might I point you to earlier Mazeverse stories or my stand alone story _Always._** **If you're looking for something more up the Gruvia alley, I'd recommend _Silence_ , if you haven't read it yet.) **

**But poor Juvia, too. But that's not Gray's fault. He can't help his feelings any more than she can. I feel like a lot of teen romance wants to gloss over the reality of the guy's point of view. There's often the assumption that he'll come around and love our leading lady (just because she's the protagonist).But what if he's really not into her? What if it was a lost cause from the start? That seemed like a more interesting theme to play with, since it's one that we don't see as often. When I was casting Mazeverse, Juvia's character seemed the perfect fit for this angle, and I'll explain why I chose her for this dubious honor.  
**

 **I read somewhere that ladies in the fandom feel strongly about Juvia and Lucy,** **because they see a little of themselves in these characters.** **I see myself too - a much younger me, and I'm cringing. (** **I wasn't going to tell this story - I've deleted it at least three times - but I feel like it's important to be honest with you guys, even if that makes me a little vulnerable and uncomfortable.)** **I've been there; I've been Juvia. Years ago,** **I met guy who gave me confidence, the way Gray stopped Juvia's rain. I really liked him, and I pulled a Juvia and chased after him, but ultimately, he wasn't as into me as I thought.**

 **I don't fault him for not liking me back. If that was all, it would have been (mostly) fine, albeit still painful.** **But he was actually using me and then stringing me along, the _entire time_ (we were 'friends' for years, which actually hurts even more). I was just too busy with blind hope to see the red flags. I was just stupid. And I regret that. ****I wish I hadn't wasted so much of my time and energy (years!) on someone who just wasn't worth it.** **I could have spent the time making meaningful connections with new people or making memories with friends. I wish I hadn't been so desperate. I wish I had stopped myself, before I made myself feel foolish. I wish for other girls not to do what I did, because I think it was the worst I ever got my heart broken...** **So, please be careful, okay? Don't be me. That's not the sort of thing I want for anyone to have to go through. It was awful.  
**

 **Do all Juvia's end up like this? Absolutely not. (I mean, look at FT canon.) But I don't feel like it's uncommon, either - I have a few friends that went through something similar. It got me wondering... What if he's really not into you? What would it take for someone to stop themselves before they get hurt? How do you find happiness if this is you? Or is that even possible?**

 **We've got one last chapter, so let's wrap this story up and figure out where we go from here.**

 **Next time, in** ** _[Mazeverse] Victory Gala_** **:** "Tonight does _not_ end with you sitting alone," she declared.

 **Stop back next Friday for the final installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


	14. Does Not End with You Sitting Alone

**Happy Friday!**

 **Let me start by saying thank you. I took some risks with the direction of this fic, and I was a little nervous about sharing. But everyone's been cool and accepting. That was really awesome! What that means for me is that I'm encouraged to try some other wild and crazy ideas in this universe and others, which is really exciting for me. :) I have some other ideas that I'd like to try; some will be good, some will be bad, some will be really bad, but it definitely won't be boring. XD  
**

 **This is the last chapter of _Victory Gala_. We've come full circle; we started with Lyon, so with Lyon we'll end. I hope I had you on the edge of your seat guessing which ship was going to get hit next. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving me a comment or favoriting this fic.  
**

 **Inspo for this chapter was the dance scene in the movie _Enchanted_. Thus, appropriate soundtrack would be "So Close" by Jon McLaughlin. If you're feeling adventurous, there are a lot of awesome covers of this on YouTube. I happened to have Landry Cantrell's rendition on repeat as I was writing. (Just be forewarned that he talks a little at the end of his cover. It's a little bit jarring if you're trying to use it as mood music while you read. You might be better off with the McLaughlin version.)**

 **\- K. Chandler**

* * *

Lyon had probably been gone long enough for him to have taken care of whatever imaginary business his imaginary sister had wanted. There was still a little time until the Gala ended. The logical, rational thing to do would have been to head home. It had been a long day and, quite frankly, Lyon was quite thoroughly through with Victories and Galas.

But for some reason, Lyon found himself drawn back into the ballroom. He wasn't sure if it was a masochistic curiosity that brought him back or some foolish desire to connect with the others. Lyon found himself slipping back inside the ballroom, lingering near the door.

The other party-goers had split into groups of two or three, swirling in pairs in the center of the floor or chatting in little clusters near the edges of the room or at one of the tables. Lyon wasn't in the mood to mingle with them. He found an empty table of his own so no one would interrupt his people-watching.

A quick glance found Toby and Jenny still at their original table. They were _still_ talking. Lyon couldn't imagine what those two could possibly have to talk about for this long, but Toby seemed to be holding his own. He wondered if he had underestimated his friend's social skills. He also wondered why Toby didn't take advantage of the opportunity to take Jenny dancing. Then again, with Toby's coordination (lack thereof), perhaps just talking was best.

Ren and Sherry, on the other hand, had taken to the dance floor. Sherry leaned in to whisper something to Ren, her face flushed from dancing. Stoically, Ren nodded. He led them off the dance floor, guiding Sherry towards the refreshment table and pouring drinks for both of them.

When Sherry had told him about dating Ren, Lyon hadn't trusted the Pegasus mage for a minute. In all honesty, he _still_ didn't fully trust him, but with all the time that had passed, Lyon had to admit that they seemed to be good for each other. Part of him wondered if he wasn't a little jealous. Not of Ren, exactly, but of what he and Sherry had.

Sherry's eyes met his and Lyon cringed at being caught staring. He probably looked like a pathetic fool. But Sherry's lips pulled into a smile. She raised her glass at him, as if making a toast.

It looked like she wasn't mad at him anymore. Good. One less thing to worry about.

Even Gajeel seemed to be having fun. It looked like he and Levy had reconciled, and they were dancing. The sight of the gruff Iron Dragon-Slayer and his tiny date made Lyon laugh, but who was he to judge? Pressed against each other and perfectly in sync, they seemed to be in their own little world.

He sighed, letting his chin drop into his palm. Lyon wondered what that would feel like. But he'd never know. The one person he might be able to feel this way about was a lost cause. But, of course, masochistic fool he was, he kept on hoping.

Lyon wasn't quite sure why he had agreed to help Juvia on that cold winter day so many months ago. Possibly because it was supposed to have been a one-time thing. But once turned into twice and twice became three times, and pretty soon Juvia was calling him once a week. He knew he needed to stop, but he didn't.

And he kept taking her calls, even though he knew he shouldn't have, and even though he knew that at the end of them he'd always end up with his hopes dashed and his heart shattered. Foolish, that's what it was. No, that's what _he_ was. A hopeless, romantic fool.

He wondered how she was doing. Juvia. Did she find what she was looking for?

As if conjured by his musings, there she was.

"Hi…" Juvia waved at him, a faint smile pulling at her lips.

"Juvia…" Lyon scrambled to his feet. "I thought you were with Gray," said Lyon.

"I was."

"And?"

Juvia shrugged, clasping her hands together primly. "He had to leave."

"Did he say why?"

"Something else came up."

"I can't believe that that moron," Lyon sighed, shaking his head.

"It doesn't bother me," said Juvia. "Honestly, it doesn't."

Lyon frowned, looking her over carefully. "It doesn't?"

"Surprisingly," said Juvia, shaking her head. "I don't know… Maybe it's a turning point."

"Is that right?" asked Lyon.

"Something's different…"

"Different how?" asked Lyon. What would have compelled such a blasé attitude towards Gray's unexpected departure.

Juvia shrugged. "It's so strange. Dancing with Gray wasn't everything I'd hoped it'd be, but that's okay."

"Then are you sure…" Lyon broke off, his breath catching in his chest.

"Sure about what?"

"Are you sure this is really what you want?" he asked quietly. His eyes were trained on her expressive face, waiting for her answer. Her words that could lift his spirit or shatter his soul.

Juvia blinked at him, her forehead scrunching in genuine confusion. "Of course, it is! How could it not be?" she asked. "Juvia's _not_ giving up on him, Lyon," she gushed, slipping back into her old third-person habit in her excitement. "Not when Juvia's so close!"

Lyon couldn't stop the choked sound that came from his throat. But, thankfully, Juvia was too enraptured by her fantasies to notice. He sank back into his chair before she noticed the shakiness in his knees.

"Juvia got what she wanted tonight. Gray's _noticed_ Juvia. He even danced with Juvia! Today was a turning point for Gray and Juvia! And Juvia's _happy_ ," she said. Then her lips pulled into a teasing smile. "Juvia's learned from the best, Lyon-sensei."

Lyon let out a self-depreciating snort, shaking his head. Lyon-sensei. What a _joke_! More like Lyon who couldn't take care of his own romantic affairs to save his life.

"It's true. You've taught Juvia— _me_ —so much, Lyon."

"I… I don't know how much more I can teach you," he said, swallowing hard. He couldn't keep doing this. He just couldn't.

It felt like his heart was clenching painfully in his chest. He wanted to be with her so _badly_. But he knew that it would never work. He needed to put a stop to this, here and now.

"What do you mean?"

"I think… you've got it figured out now," he said, forcing his dumb tongue to form the bitter words.

"So I've graduated?"

He forced himself to smile. "Sure."

For a moment, Juvia tugged on a curl thoughtfully. Then she looked back at him, taking a deep breath.

"Dance with me," she said softly.

Lyon's brows shot skyward. "Come again?"

"Tonight's my graduation, you just said. We should celebrate. Dance with me, Lyon."

He shook his head, looking away. "Don't force yourself, Juvia."

Juvia sidestepped back in to his line of sight. "I saw you talking to Gajee earlier," said Juvia. "He and Levy got together. Isn't that the most wonderful thing!" she gushed. "And I know about what happened with Jenny," she added quietly.

"What does that have to do with this?"

"You've helped so many people tonight. But now you're all alone," she said, her eyes sparkling with sympathy.

"That's life, isn't it?" he said callously.

" _Lyon_!" scolded Juvia. "Toby, Jenny, Gajeel, Levy… and me. We all had a chance at happiness tonight, and that's thanks to you," she insisted.

Lyon sighed, pinching his eyes shut briefly. "You don't owe me anything. I told you that before."

"I know. But… Lyon…"

"Hm?"

"Tonight does _not_ end with you sitting alone," she declared.

"Then why don't you sit with me?" he asked, his voice quiet.

"What?"

"Just sit with me. We don't have to dance."

Juvia shook her head. "That's where you're wrong." Juvia took firm hold of Lyon's hand, pulling him to his feet. "I am not taking no for an answer."

Her hand was small in his, delicate fingers gripping his tightly. He didn't resist as Juvia tugged him out to the middle of the dance floor.

"Juvia, _don't_. I know you don't really want to," said Lyon.

"You should know that I need your other hand," she said, extending hers in encouragement.

"Juvia… no."

They needed to stop. Someone was going to get hurt and it was going to be him.

"Your hand," she said again. "It goes on my waist." She guided his free hand to rest against her hip before she set hers on his shoulder.

His arms and his senses were filled with Juvia. It was like a dream.

He _needed_ to stop this. He needed to be rational and reasonable and sane.

He _couldn't_ stop. The reckless part of him didn't want to.

Juvia's eyes were expectant as they locked on his.

He was a hopeless, romantic fool.

Lyon sighed, obliging by stepping them in time with the music. The ache in his chest grew. If he didn't think about it too much, he could almost pretend. He could almost pretend that this was real. But he knew that when the music stopped, the dream would be over.

And too soon, it was.

For a moment, they were still, in the center of the dance floor. His hand still hovered at her waist. And she just stared at him with those wide, expressive eyes.

Then, without warning, Juvia went up on her toes, throwing both arms around his neck. Lyon's pulse raced as she leaned in close, a waft of coconut tickling his nose. Was she… going to kiss him?

But he didn't feel of the caress of her lips on his own, or even gently pressed against his cheek. Instead, he felt the tickle of her breath in his ear.

"Tonight was everything that I ever wanted," she whispered. "And I never thought that I could be so happy…" He could hear the bubble of excitement that tinged her voice. "And it's all thanks to you."

But he didn't feel the swell of pride that would have normally accompanied such praise. Instead he felt both hollow and heavy at the same time. Lyon let his arms slip around her waist, returning her hug.

The woman of his dreams was in his arms. But the starry look in her eyes wasn't meant for him. They were closer than they had ever been, but they had never been farther apart.

Still, she was happy. That was all that mattered.

And him? He tightened his arms around her, trying to enjoy the moment while it lasted.

* * *

 **And the gratuitous Japanese was entirely necessary. I feel like every newbie writer needs to do that at least once in their career, so I can check that one off my list. I am also checking off cliche prom fic, as that is also mandatory. XD**

 **This was a longer fic (for me, at least, and within the Mazeverse universe), and a lot happened, so let's recap:**

 **Before Victory Gala, Nalu and Grayza were very real possibilities, though Gruvia and Jerza weren't out of the question either (these two didn't get a whole lot of screen time, since it didn't take a whole lot to establish these two as being in line with what we got in canon at this point in the plot.) Gale was assumed to be also canon compliant, though Hibiki came into the picture at the last minute as a potential dark horse. There was some implied Miraxus history and a bit of tension. Toby and Jenny R were a running joke and Lyvia was basically dead in the water - pun intended.**

 **Now, post Victory Gala, Gale is Mazeverse canon. Toby and Jenny have strong potential, and so does Jerza, since Erza's headed off to Crime Sorciere for the next part of the story. Miraxus history is now confirmed, but Freed and Cana complicate things. Nalu and Nali are on-hold because of Natsu (who is about to "pull another Natsu" in an upcoming story, and make things that much worse). Lucy's playing the field (partly in response, though I think this is part of her personality too). Gray's a no-go on Gruvia, and Lyvia's just as dead as before because of Juvia (although Lyon's starting to waver too, so it may be even more hopeless).** **Everyone has their opinions and nobody's about to change their mind. It's sort of like hitting a dead-end.** **At this point, I hope we can agree that if this keeps up, most of the cast will be miserable forever.**

 **So what now?  
**

 **It's Mazeverse, so all we have to do is backtrack and try a different approach and see if some things work out better. Of course, we'll have to do it without Gajeel and Levy (who can still coach from the sidelines, but are essentially out of the game because they've already won), Natsu (who has temporarily removed himself), and Erza (who will be part of the Crime Sorciere side-plot along with Jellal and his team). Let's turn the blender back on and try to shake things up with those who are left.  
**

 **Next week, the Mazeverse continues with a new story (Season 2!) as we try to figure things out. And we're going to start with Miraxus. What happened to them? How did they end up the way they are now? Is there any hope for them in this universe? Hopefully this fic has whetted your appetite for some answers!  
**

 **Stop back next Friday for _[Mazeverse]_ ****_Can't Catch Lightning_** **, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.**


End file.
